4Mar0arpt  -^caly  ?8urton 


JAMESTOWX   TOWEU. 


COLONIAL   CAPITALS 

of  the  DOMINION 

of  VIRGINIA 


By  MARY  L.  FOSTER 
Williamsburg,  Va. 


BRIEF  HISTORICAL  SKETCHES  AND  TRADITIONS  OF 
JAMESTOWN,  WILLIAMSBURG,  YORKTOWN  AND 
THEIR  VICINITY  ILLUSTRATED  WITH  A  MAP  AND 
PHOTOGRAPHS  K*K*K*K>K>K>K>K>K>K*K» 

"UNO  AVULSO  NON  DEFICIT  ALTER" 


J.  )'.  1:1.1.1.  coMi'Awv,  irvc. 

LYNCinJUKO,    VA. 

Copyrifbi,    jgoo 

Br  MAKy  L.  tUb'iJift 


Ilrrfarr 


N  giviii-;'  lliis  Ii(ll(«  volmiie  nl"  sketches  to 
the  |)iil)lic,  il,  liMs  hciMi  llie  iiiillior's  pur- 
pose lo  (l('sci-il)c  llir  liistoiic  I'liiiis  :iii(l 
buildings  us  lliey  ]i|)pe!ir  mI  llie  preseiii 
time,  iiml  ;il  ili(»  siiiiie  lime  to  lujike  lliem 
as  orii^iiiiil  jiiul  pIciisiiiL;'  ;is  possihic  hy 
Ii;;liteiiiiii;-  tlicir  liislorv  willi  the  jinec- 
(loles  iiiid  I  Midit  ions  wliieli  luive  Iteen 
iiaiided   down    lliroii^^liout,  tiie  yenrs. 

'I'lic  injoniint  ion  Jis  to  I  lie  original  sites  mid  irnints  made 
to  tlif  early  iidniltiliiiils  of  Jamestown  lias  been  lar^ndy  de- 
rived from  "The  Sile  of  Old  Mames  'rovvne,'  l(;07-l()J)8," 
hy  Saiiiui'l  II.  Yloiiiit;'.  The  author  vvisjie.s  to  expn^ss  her 
ind(^ht('dn(>ss  also  to  Dr.  Iaoii  (1.  Tyler  and  Hev.  W.  A.  1{. 
(Joodvvin  For  assistance  rendered  in  "The  (*radle  of  tho  Re- 
puhlic,"  William  and  Mary  (^olleo't>  Quartorlios,  and  iho 
"Historical  Sketch  of  Hrnton  Church."  and  with  f^nilefnl 
appreciation  to  acknowledge  the  kindness  o\'  Dr.  .1.  Leslio 
Hall.  Ihrou^^h  whoso  hands  tho  proof  sheets  havt>  passed, 

Mary  L.  Fostkr. 


i^Jitrattnn 


mI|o  Ijaa  htm  mij  tttsptrattott  attb  guilie, 
tl|ta  Itttb  book  ta 


INDEX 

PAGE 

Audrey's  House 46 

Baptist  Church 71 

Bassett  Hall 71 

Black  Swamp 93 

Blair  House 54 

Brafferton  Building »...  52 

Brick  Hotel 70 

Bruton  Church ". „ 55 

Carter's  Grove  ^...  90 

Gary  House 34 

Court  House 66 

Debtor's  Prison 66 

Dunmore's  Cave 64 

Eastern  State  Hospital  87 

Fort  Magruder ^... 92 

.Four-Mile-Tree  House 36 

Greenspring  37 

House  of  Burgesses 75 

Houses— Old 71 

Jamestown 9 

Masonic  Temple 86 

Martha  Washington's  Kitchen 89 

Palace  Green  63 

Powder  Horn 67 

President's  House 53 

Kaleigh  Tavern 73 

Eandolph,  Edmund — House 84 

Randolph,  Peyton — House 83 

Eandolph,  Sir  John — House 84 

Six  Chimney  Lot 89 

Tazewell  Hall 84 

Temple  Farm 106 

Theatre 81 

The  Virginia  Gazette 85 

Werowocomoco 107 

Williamsburg 43 

William  and  Mary  College 47 

Wythe  House 65 

Yorktown 97 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Jamestown  Tower Frontispiece 

jl     <  OPP.  PACK 

House  Euins  at  Jamestown 29 

William  and  Mary  College 47 

Blair  House 54 

Bruton  Church 55 

Bruton  Churchyard 60 

Dunmore's  Cave 64 

Wythe  House 65 

Debtor's  Prison ..  66 

Court  House 66 

Powder  Horn 67 

Old  Masonic  Temple 87 

Ruins  of  the  House  of  Burgesses 75 

Bassett  Hall 72 

Pevton  Randolph's  Home 84 

Tazewell  Hall 84 

Gary  Homestead 78 

Martha  Washington's  Kitchen 89 

Etstern  Stale  Hospital 87 

Moore  House  on  Temple  Farm 106 

Custis  House  in  which  Dinwiddle  was  Entertained  65 


5amestown 


Q 


9 


"l^lmnth  ranks  of  fall  mil&-rl|crrg 

Anl»  birrlt  aurrnuuJi 
^l)t  I|<ilf  I)tlii  snlitarg 

(§U»  burutng  ground. 

All  tlte  Into  Inall  ta  rrumblrii 

Auii  ouprgrouttt. 
Aub  in  tl]f  turf  Itpa  tumblrb 

^tonr  upon  atons." 


3am^Btomtt 


^    f^    ^ 


HE  "ivy-mantled  tower"  keeps  its  solitary 
watch  notwithstanding  the  storms  of  nearly 
three  centuries.  As  the  loop-holes  in  the 
tower  suggest  that  probably  it  was  built  to 
be  useful  as  well  as  ornamental  by  giving 
the  first  warning  of  an  Indian  attack  to  the 
lonely  watcher  on  the  inside,  so  now  it  is 
the  first  to  greet  the  eye  of  the  visitor  on 
drawing  near  the  historic  landmark  of  the 
Nation's  first  capital. 


The  island  is  situated  on  the  north  side  of  James  river, 
about  40  miles  from  its  mouth.  Ealph  Hamor,  one  of  the 
colony's  early  secretaries,  gives  its  length  about  two  and 
three-quarter  miles,  width  about  300  yards  to  one  and  one- 
quarter  miles. 

When  the  first  landing  was  made  the  island  was  joined 
to  the  mainland  by  a  narrow  isthmus  probably  stretching 
across  what  is  now  called  Sandy  bay.*     It  was  probably  on 

*Map  of  "James  Citty,"  Virginia,  by  Samuel  Young. 


10  (Holotttal  CEapUalB  nf  t^t 

the  mainland  side  of  this  isthmus,  about  one  mile  from 
Jamestown,  that  the  first  glass  factory  in  AmoTica  was 
built  in  1608.  It  is  also  separated  from  the  mainland  by 
Back  river.  A  bridge  across  this  river  and  a  cart  road 
through  a  part  of  Powhatan's  Swamp  lead  to  a  picturesque 
drive  of  seven  miles  to  Williamsburg.  The  island  is  approached 
by  steamers  plying  daily  from  Richmond  and  Norfollc,  which 
stop  at  the  wharf  about  450  feet  from  the  ancient  tower  ruin. 
This  end  of  the  island,  including  twenty-three  acres,  en- 
closed in  a  wire  fence,  is  the  very  generous  gift  of  IMr.  and 
Mrs.  Edward  E,  Barney  to  the  Association  for  the  Preserva- 
tion of  Virginia  Antiquities.  It  is  to  this  Association  that 
we  are  indebted  for  the  care  of  the  ruins  and  under  whose 
auspices  recent  excavations  have  unearthed  so  much  of  inter- 
est to  the  student  of  history.  Within  the  last  year  there 
has  been  completed  a  massive  sea  w^all  erected  by  the  United 
States  Government  to  protect  the  island  from  further  en- 
croachments of  the  river.  There  is  good  reason  for  think- 
ing that  only  about  twenty  acres  have  been  washed  away, 
chiefly  west  of  the  tower,  and  that  this  was  mostly  a  sub- 
urb of  the  village  city.  It  is  the  end  of  the  island  belong- 
ing to  the  A.  P.  V.  A.'s  that  abounds  mostly  in  historic 
associations  and  hallowed  m'emories;  where  each  bit  of  soil 
has  a  story  to  tell  of 

"The  past  with  all  its  passions 

Its  toils  and   wiles, 
Its  ancient  follies,  fashions, 

And  tears  and  smiles. 


i0mmtn«  nf  BirgUtia  11 


With  thirsts  and  fever-rages, 
And  ceaseless   pains, 

Hoarding,  as  for  the  ages 
Its  little  gains!' 


These  gains  summed  up  through  three  centuries  of  exist- 
ence have  made  not  only  a  glorious  inheritance  for  us  of 
the  present,  but  an  example  and  trust  as  well. 

A  recent  census  of  the  United  States  shows  the  population 
to  be  76,303,387.  In  striking  contrast  to  this  enormous 
figure  is  that  of  the  little  band  of  54  gentlemen,  four  car- 
penters and  12  laborers,  who  on  May  13,  1607,  moored  their 
boats  the  "Susan  Constance,"  "Godspeed,"  and  "Discovery," 
to  the  trees  on  the  shore  where  the  water  was  six  fathoms 
deep.  The  "Susan  Constance"  was  commanded  by  Christo- 
pher Newport,  the  "Godspeed"  by  the  fonner  explorer, 
Bartholomew  Gosnold,  the  "Discovery"  by  John  Ratcliffe — 
three  small  ships  which  bore  across  the  Atlantic  the  founders 
of  the  American  Nation. 

After  nearly  five  months  on  the  water  it  must  have  ap- 
peared as  a  beautiful  dream  sailing  those  -iO  miles  up  the 
"Noble  James."  Those  of  us  who  have  been  fortunate  enough 
to  take  the  trip  up  this  part  of  the  river  in  May  will  never 
forget  the  wild  beauty  and  coloring  of  the  woods,  where  one 
reads  history  in  the  very  landscape.  Smith  says,  "Heaven 
and  earth  had  never  agreed  better  to  make  a  place  for  man's 
habitation."  The  ground  was  spread  -with  "sweet  and  deli- 
cate flowers  of  divers  colors  and  kinds"  and  the  air  was  red- 
olent with  their  perfume.     The  woods  on  both  sides  of  the 


12  (EflUmtal  (Ea^iitala  of  ttjF 

river,  as  well  as  on  the  island,  were  thick  with  white  and  pink 
blossoms  of  dogwood,  the  cream  of  honeysuckle,  and  the  red 
bloom  of  the  Judas  tree.  The  cherries  were  in  full  bloom 
and  strawberries  were  so  thick,  "that  it  required  very  little 
tune  and  effort  to  pick  a  basket  full."  The  trees  were  of 
every  shade  of  green  from  that  in  the  baby  leaves  of  the  wild 
grape,  to  the  rich  dark  of  the  ancient  cedars. 


OIlj^  ICan&tng 


He  gives  a  vivid  picture  of  their  reception  by  the  Indians 
in  the  following  extract:  "At  night  when  we  were  going 
aboard  there  came  the  salvages  creeping  from  the  Hills  like 
Beares,  with  their  Bowes  in  their  mouthes,  charged  us  very  des- 
perately, hurt  Captain  Gabrill  Archer,*  in  both  hands,  and 
a  Sayler  in  two  places  of  the  body  very  dangerous.  After 
they  had  spent  their  arrows  and  felt  the  sharpness  of  our 
shot,  they  retired  into  the  woods  with  a  great  noise  and  so 
left  us." 

The  original  landing  placef  has  been  submerged 
but  was  probably  1,500  feet  west  of  the  present  wharf,  the 
nearest  distance  to  the  shore  450  feet. 

Having  selected  the  spot  on  which  to  settle,  the  next  morn- 
ing they  began  work.  The  first  thing  done  was  to  stretch  a 
sail  across  two  trees,  under  which  the  good  preacher  Hunt 
held  services  each  morning  and  evening. 

*  First  secretary  or  chronicler  to  the  colony. 
t^Iap  of  "James  Citty,"  Va.,  by  Samuel  Young. 


Somtntxitt  of  Btrgmta  13 

On  the  journey  over  the  sailors  had  quarreled  with  him, 
because  his  prayers  had  not  kept  away  the  storms.  That 
he  was  good  is  clearly  proven  in  Smith's  own  words.  Telling 
of  the  fire  which  swept  away  everything  the  next  year,  he 
says,  "Good  Master  Hunt,  our  preacher,  lost  all  his  library 
and  all  he  had  but  the  cloathes  on  his  backe;  yet  none  never 
heard  him  repine  at  his  losse."  It  was  this  same  "Master 
Hunt"  who  performed  the  first  English  marriage  service  in 
America,  in  December,  1608,  when  John  Laydon  (carpen- 
ter) and  Anne  Burrus  (maid  to  Mrs.  Forrest)  were  united 
in  marriage.  The  groom  was  27  and  the  bride  14  years  of  age. 
During  the  next  year  there  was  performed  the  first  Episcopal 
baptismal  service  of  an  English  child  in  America,  that  of 
Virginia  Laydon. 

®If^  iFtrst  (Fmn  Qllfurrli^fi 

The  first  church  was  a  "homely  thing,  like  a  barn, 
set  upon  crochets,  covered  with  rafts,  sedge  and  earth, 
as  could  neither  well  defend  from  wind  nor  raine."' 
It  was  burned  with  the  rest  of  Jamestown  about  eight  months 
after  its  erection.  The  second  was  built  on  the  same  site. 
It  was  in  this  that  the  wedding  and  baptism  were  celebrated. 
There  is  good  reason  for  believing  that  these  first  two  churches 
were  built  inside  the  first  triangular  fort  constructed  in 
1607.  Two  corners  of  this  fort  have  disappeared  by  the  abra- 
sion of  the  island.  The  third  corner,  probably  located  in  the 
northwestern  portion  of  the  old.  Confederate  breast- works, 
is  still  to  be  seen.     When  these  breast-works  were  thrown 


14  (Eolnmal  (Uapilals  of  % 

up  during  the  Civil  War,  pieces  of  armor  and  weapons  of 
the  early  Jamestown  period  were  found.  These  entrench- 
ments are  just  above  the  tower  ruin.  Seen  to-day,  they 
are  composed  of  several  mounds  showing  where  trenches 
were  dug.  Growing  over  it  is  a  tangle  of  wild  grape  vines, 
honeysuckle,  wild  cherry,  persimmon,  and  other  trees  indig- 
enous to  the  Virginia  soil. 

Lord  Delaware  worshipped  in  the  second  church  on 
his  arrival  in  May,  1610.  He  was  attended  at  service  by 
a  redcoated  guard  of  honor,  and  sat  is  a  velvet  chair,  witli  a 
cushion  of  the  same  fabric  on  which  to  kneel. 

We  are  told  that  the  pews,  chancel,  pulpit,  and  windows 
were  of  cedar,  which  wood  was  very  plentiful  on  the  island. 
The  communion  table  was  of  black  walnut,  and  the  "font 
hewn  hollow  like  a  canoe."  The  church  was  kept  sweet  and 
beautiful  with  wild  flowers,  freshly  arranged  every  morning. 
The  outer  walls  were  plain  and  barn-like.  Two  bells  in  the 
steeple  called  the  villagers  to  service  morning  and  evening, 
each  day  in  the  week,  for,  as  Smith  says,  "Men's  affairs  doe 
little  prosper  where  God's  service  is  neglected."  The  Eev. 
Piichard  Buck,  who  came  over  with  Sir  Thomas  Gates, 
preached  the  sermon  the  day  of  Delaware's  arrival.  He 
made  "a  zealous  and  sorrowful  prayer,"  after  which  the  gov- 
ernor gave  a  practical  and  interesting  talk.  The  former  was 
said  to  be  a  "verie  good  preacher."  He  married  the  Indian 
princess,  Pocahontas,  to  John  Rolfe,  "a  high'y  respectable 
young  gentleman  of  Jamestown  "  (the  fourth  recorder  for 
the  colony).     Rolfe  was  a  widower  whose  first  wife  had  died 


Sommuin  of  Utrginta  15 

since  lauding,  or  else  in  the  Bermudas  after  the  wreck  of 
the  "Sea  Venture."  His  infant  daughter,  Bermuda,  had 
been  baptised  and  buried  on  the  islands  by  Mr.  Buck.  Poca- 
hontas died  in  1617,  and  as  Eolfe  was  married  the  third  time 
to  Jane  Pierce,  the  young  daughter  of  the  captain  of  the 
gTiards  at  Jamestown,  it  is  very  probable  that  he  performed 
that  ceremony  also.  It  is  most  likely  that  the  marriage  of 
Pocahontas  occurred  in  the  second  church,  as  the  date  of 
the  ceremony  was  1614,  and  the  third  church  was  built  under 
Captain  Argall's  direction  in  1617,  the  former  building  hav- 
ing been  found  in  ruins  on  his  arrival.  It  is  commonly 
claimed  that  Pocahontas  was  baptised  at  Jamestown.  An 
old  letter  -written  by  Eev.  Mr.  Whitaker  from  Bermuda 
Hundreds  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  states  that  he  had  cate- 
chised and  baptised  the  Indian  girl  under  the  Christian  name 
of  Rebecca. 

The  story  of  these  first  few  years  of  the  colony  is  that  of 
a  hard  struggle  for  existence.  Together  with  Indian  at- 
tacks and  death  from  fever  and  starvation,  she  came  near 
sharing  the  fate  of  her  sister  colony  at  Eoanoke. 

The  houses  were  mostly  thatched  cabins,  very  frail  and  af- 
fording little  protection  from  the  weather.  For  the  first  year 
they  drank  the  brackish  water  of  the  river.  li-iter  a  well  of 
"excellent  sweet  water"  was  dug  inside  the  fort.  An  old 
well,  supposedly  this  one,  has  been  recently  unearthed.  Of 
the  terrible  "starving  time"  Smith  tells  us,  "Our  drink  was 


16  (Eolomal  (HapUals  of  t^t 

water  and  our  lodgings  castles  in  the  air."  With  a  touch  of 
irony  he  continues,  "If  we  had  been  as  free  from  all  sins  as 
from  gluttony  and  drunkenness,  we  might  have  been  cannon- 
ized  for  saints."  To  cap  the  climax,  the  guns  were  '"fitter 
to  shoot  down  our  houses  than  to  oifcnd  an  enemie." 

When  the  gold  fever  seized  the  settlers,  "there  was  no  talk, 
no  hope,  no  work,  but  dig  gold,  wash  gold,  refine  gold,  load 
gold,"  until  a  shipload  sent  to  England  wa?  proved  to  be 
only  yellow  sand. 

During  Dale's  rule,  about  1613,  flogging  and  irons  were 
the  punishment  inflicted  for  laziness.  A  poor  thief,  for  steal- 
ing a  little  oatmeal,  was  tied  to  a  tree  and  allowed  to  starve 
to  death. 

It  is  narrated  that  a  passport  from  the  king  for  the  return 
of  a  colonist  to  England  was  sewed  in  a  garter,  to  insure  its 
safe  delivery. 

A  story  is  told  of  three  thieves  to  whom  Philip  II  offered 
the  choice  of  coming  to  Virginia,  or  death.  Two  availed 
themselves  of  the  opportunity  of  coming  over,  but  the  third 
preferred  to  hang. 

The  only  real  bit  of  romance  which  brightens  the  pages  of 
history  up  to  this  period  is  that  of  the  Indian  maiden  Matoa 
(Little  Wanton),  more  familiarly  known  as  Pocahontas,  as 
it  was  a  bad  omen  to  tell  her  Indian  name  to  strangers.    Her 


Bommuin  of  Utrgmia  17 

friendship  and  love  for  Captain  John  Smith  was  very  sweet 
and  beautiful,  and  the  old  saying  that  "a  friend  in  need  is  a 
friend  indeed"  was  proved  time  and  again  during 
her  brief  young  life.  The  story  of  her  saving  his  life  by 
placing  her  body  between  his  and  the  clubs  of  the  Indian 
braves,  will  never  grow  old.  Numerous  are  the  instances 
of  her  heroism.  It  was  not  an  unusual  sight  to  see  her  en- 
tering the  town  on  a  sunny  morning  with  her  "wild  train  of 
Indian  boys  and  girls"  loaded  with  baskets  of  corn  for  the 
starving  settlers.  After  John  Smith  was  wounded  by  the 
explosion,  and  returned  to  England,  her  absence  from  the 
town  was  conspicuous.  In  1G12  she  was  bought  for  a  brass 
kettle  from  the  Indian  Japazaws,  whose  wife  she  was  visit- 
ing, and  was  brought  a  prisoner  to  Jamestown.  Here  she 
was  wooed  and  won  by  the  handsome  young  widower,  John 
Eolfe,  and  the  wedding  celebrated  in  the  little  church. 

In  fancy  we  see  the  plain  edifice  made  beautiful  by  the 
loving  hands  of  the  few  women  in  the  town,  with  flowers  and 
running  cedar.  Rev.  Eichard  Buck  begins  the  ceremony: 
"Dearly  beloved,  we  are  gathered  together  here  in  the  sight 
of  God,  and  in  the  face  of  this  company  to  join  together 
this  man  and  this  woman  in  holy  matrimony."  lie  reads 
the  beautiful  marriage  service  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 
At  the  question,  "Who  giveth  this  woman  to  be  married  to 
this  man?"  Opachisto,  Powatan's  brother,  steps  forward. 
Close  to  the  altar  the  bride's  two  brothers  are  standing. 
Presently  the  words  which  join  the  untutored  maid  of  the 
forest  and  the  young  Englishman    are  spoken.     They  pass 


18  (Enlntital  (Hapttals  nf  tlje 

dowu  the  aisle  to  ""ever  remain  in  ])erfect  lovo  and  peace  to- 
gether" as  long  as  the}^  both  shall  live. 

A  pretty  story  is  told  of  her  meeting  with  Smith  in  Eng- 
land. It  had  been  six  years  since  they  had  seen  each  other, 
and  instead  of  the  2)retty  child  he  left,  he  saw  a  young  matron 
of  twenty,  who  had  been  introduced  at  court  as  the  Lady 
Eebecca.  There  is  ample  reason  for  thinking  that  she  be- 
lieved him  dead.  Great  was  her  sur]Drise  on  meeting  him 
again.  Her  happiness  was  very  evident.  Smith  told  her  it 
was  not  the  proper  thing  for  her  to  treat  him  as  she  had 
done  in  Virginia.  He  was  very  dignified  himself,  whereupon 
she  put  her  hands  to  her  face,  and,  beginning  to  cry,  said  it 
was  very  heartless  for  him  to  treat  her  so,  she  had  called 
him  "Father"  in  Virginia,  and  she  would  do  it  now.  This 
was  their  last  meeting.  A  year  later  (1617)  she  died  sud- 
denly as  she  was  preparing  to  return  to  ximerica.  She  was 
buried  at  Gravesend,  England. 


i^attf  nf  ^mttl| 


Smith  died  the  21st  of  June,  1631,  at  the  age  of  53,  and  is 
buried  in  Saint  Sepulchre's  Church,  London. 

His  grave  is  under  the  church,  in  front  of  the  chancel. 
Above  it  are  two  flat  stones.  On  one  of  them  is  carved  his 
coat-of-arms,  three  Turk's  heads.  On  the  other  stone  is  the 
inscription : 

"Here  lies  one  that  hath  conquered  Kings, 
Subdued  large  territories  and  done  things, 
Which  to  the  world  impossible  would  seem, 


iomuiuw  of  Birgutta  19 


But  that  truth  is  held  in  more  esteem. 

Shall  I   report  his   former  services   done 

In    honor    of    his    God    and    Christendon? 

How  that  he  did  divide  from  Pagans  three 

Their  heads  and  lives,  types  of  his  chivalry; 

For  which  great  service  in  that  climate  done 

Brave  Sigismondus,  King  of  Hungarian, 

Did  give  him  a  Coat  of  Arms  to  wear 

These  conquered  heads  got  by  his  sword  and  spear. 

Or  shall  I  tell  of  his  adventures  since 

Done   in   Virginia,  that  large   continent. 

How  that  he  sudued  Kings  unto  his  yoke. 

And  made  tlie  Heathen  flee  as  wind  doth  smoke. 

And  made  their  land,  being  of  so  large  a  station. 

All   habitation   for   our   Christian   Nation; 

Where  God  is  Glorified,  their  wants  supplied. 

Which   else   for   necessaries   must   have   dy'd. 

But  what  avails  his  conquest,  now  he  lies 

Interred  in  earth  a  prey  to  worms  and  flies. 

O,  may  his  soul  in  sweet  Elysium  sleep 

Until  the  keeper  that  all  souls  doth  keep 

Return  to  judgment,   and  after  thence 

With  angels  may  have  his  recompence."* 


i^atlj  0f  Salnglj 


During  the  year  1618  Virginia  lost  another  friend  in  Sir 
Waiter  Ealeigh.  He  had  an  abiding  faith  in  the  future  of 
the  colonies  and  said  to  Gosnold  when  imprisoned  in  the 
Tower,  "I  shall  yet  live  to  see  Virginia  a  great  Nation." 
Amazing  faith !  Could  he  appear  on  the  scene  to-day,  what 
a  revelation  it  would  be  to  him.  Ascending  the  scaffold  he 
felt  the  edge  of  the  axe  exclaiming,  "This  is  a  sharp  medicine, 
but  a  sure  cure  for  all  diseases." 


*  A  rubber  fae-simile  is  in  the  Powder  Horn  Museum  in  Wil- 
liamsburg. 


20  (Enlxmtal  (Ea^Jtlalfi  of  % 

Olulttfaattnn  nf  Snbarro 

John  Rolfe  was  the  first  Englishman  to  cultivate  tobacco 
in  Virginia.  Such  a  Avell-paying  industry  had  it  become  to 
the  colonies,  that  in  1G17  it  was  planted  even  along  the 
streets.  It  sometimes  sold  in  London  for  10  s  ($2.50)  a 
pound,  quite  a  difference  when  compared  to  the  present 
price  of  six  or  seven  cents.  Even  the  ladies  at  "James 
Citty"  went  shopping  with  a  cart  of  tobacco  following,  with 
which  to  pay  for  the  few  things  to  be  brought  home  in  a 
basket.  The  first  wild  turkeys  ever  seen  in  England  were 
sent  from  Virginia. 

In  1619  a  cargo  of  90  English  maidens  was  brought  over. 
All  the  old  bachelors 

"From  thirty  to  sixty, — plain,  fair,  red  and  pale, 
Of  every  description — all  flocked  to  the  sale  " 

and  paid  120  pounds  of  tobacco  for  each  young  woman.  As 
we  linger,  gazing  up  and  down  the  pretty  driveway  along  the 
river  bank,  we  see  through  "a  haze  of  dreams,  bright  maids 
and  laughing  lovers,"  as  they  hurr}^  to  and  from  the 
church  where  the  Eev.  Mr.  Buck  and  his  assistant  have  been 
kept  busy  tying  "the  knot  there's  no  untying."  So  pleased 
and  pleasing  were  the  maidens,  that  fresh  cargoes  came  over 
very  shortly,  and,  in  1624,  the  Governor  was  obliged  to  pass 
a  law  tlireatening  with  punishment  each  fickle  lass  who 
should  engage  herself  to  more  than  one  suitor  at  a  time, 
thus  proving  that  "feminine  nature"  is  the  same  the  world 
over,   regardless   of  time   or   place. 


iomutinn  of  l^irgmia  21 

It  was  these  same  dainty  maidens  whose  extravagance  in 
dress  caused  to  be  passed  a  law  taxing  the  people  according 
to  their  wearing  apparel.  We  are  told  that  even  the  cow- 
keeper  at  Jamestown  was  "accoutred  in  fresh  flaming  silk." 
Evidently  the  old  rhyme, 

"Needles  and  pins,  needles  and  pins, 
When  a  man  marries  his  trouble  begins," 

was  as  true  then  as  now. 

®Ijp  Sl|trh  Oltjurrlj 

In  1619  the  third  church  was  completed.  It  was  built  on 
the  same  site  as  that  of  the  tower  ruin.  Eecent  excavations 
have  unearthed  two  parts  of  the  original  foundations.  It  is 
composed  of  "a  footing  of  cobble  stones  one  foot  thick,  capped 
by  a  one  brick  wall."  The  frail  foundations  testify  that  this 
church,  too,  was  a  light  frame  structure.  These  foundations 
can  be  seen  just  inside  those  of  the  original  brick  church. 
It  was  in  this  frame  church,  during  the  first  year  of  its  com- 
pletion, 1G19,  that  Yeardley,  believing  the  colonies  should 
have  "a  handle  in  the  government  of  themselves,"  called  to- 
gether the  first  Legislative  Assembly  in  America,  thus  laying 
the  foundation  for  a  representative  system  of  government, 
which,  beginning  from  a  small  malarial  island  in  James 
river,  to-day  rules  a  country  scarcely  satisfied  to  claim 
the  two  oceans  for  its  boundaries.  The  Eev.  Mr.  Buck,  chap- 
lain of  this  first  Assembly,  offered  in  his  opening  prayer  that 
it  would  please  God  "to  guard  and  sanctifie  all  our  proceed- 
ings to  His  own  glory  and  the  good  of  this  plantation." 


22  (Uobittal  CflapitalB  of  % 

During  this  same  year  (1619)  a  Dutch  man-of-war  sailed 
up  the  river,  bringing  twenty  negroes,  who  were  sold  to  the 
colonists. 

In  reading  the  history  of  our  country  in  chronological  or- 
der we  find  that  several  months  before  the  landing  of  the 
Pilgrims  at  Plymouth  (1620)  there  had  begun  on  the  small 
Island  of  Jamestown,  the  first  English  civilization  in  the  new 
world,  the  first  English  town  and  capital,  the  first  glass 
faxjtory  and  the  first  Episcopal  Church  in  America  had  been 
buHt,  the  first  English  marriage  and  baptismal  services  had 
been  solemnized,  slavery  had  been  introduced,  and  the  first 
Legislative  Assembly  in  this  broad  land  had  met. 

The  numerous  Indian  attacks  to  which  the  colony  was  sub- 
jected, during  the  first  50  years  of  its  history,  force  the 
thought  that  there  was  more  truth  than  poetry  in  the  old 
saying,  "There  is  no  good  Indian  save  a  dead  Indian." 

Jftrfit  Irirk  IfnuB^ 

In  1639  the  first  brick  house  was  built  at  Jamestown.  It 
belonged  to  Richard  Kempe*  and  is  referred  to  by  Governor 
Harvey  as  "the  fairest  that  was  ever  known  in  this  country 
for  substance  and  importance." 

Ettmn  Smn 

During  the  same  year  plans  were  made  for  building  a  brick 
church.      It    was    probably    completed    about     1639-1644, 

♦Ninth  secretary  to  the  colony.     See  page  60. 


iommiatt  nt  Utrgmta  23 

the  tower  of  which  is  the  picturesque  ruin  of  to- 
day. A  part  of  the  outer  walls  have  been  un- 
earthed. It  is  the  desire  of  the  Colonial  Dames  of  America 
to  erect  a  memorial  building,  as  a  protection  for  the  historic 
ruins.  On  the  wall  of  the  memorial  church  the  Episcopal 
Church  in  America  will  place  a  memorial  tablet  to  the  Rev. 
Eobert  Hunt,  the  first  minister  to  Jamestown.  Eecently, 
the  Colonial  Bell  Association  has  been  organized.  Its  pur- 
pose is  to  have  made  a  bell  which  will  break  the  solemn  still- 
ness once  again  as  it  rings  out  "from  yonder  ivy-mantled 
tower,"  when  the  Colonial  Dames  have  completed  their  work 
of  restoration.  An  association  composed  of  the  descendants 
of  Pocahontas  has  also  been  organized,  to  erect  on  the  island 
a  memorial  to  their  distinguished  ancestress. 

It  was  the  brick  church  belonging  to  the  old  tower  which 
was  fired  by  a  torch  in  Bacon's  hands  during  the  rebellion 
in  1676,  when  the  whole  town  was  burned  in  order  to  keep 
the  tyrannical  old   Governor,   Berkeley,   from   returning. 

The  communion  service*  belonging  to  this  church,  pre- 
sented by  Frances  Morrison  in  1661,  is  in  possession  of  Bni- 
ton  Church  at  Williamsburg. 

The  tower  is  built  of  red  and  blue  glazed  bricks,  the  so- 
called  English  bond,  formerly  thought  to  be  imlported  from 
England,  but  the  general  opinion  at  the  present  is  that  they 
were  made  in  the  colony.  Among  the  relics  preserved  is  an 
old  brick  with  a  footprint  clearly  imbedded  in  it.     It  was 

*See  page  58  for  description. 


24  (Enlotttal  (Eapttals  nf  tl|f 

found  among  some  ruins  on  the  Island.  The  tower  was 
probably  l)uill  with  loop  holes  as  a  protection  against  In- 
dian attacks.     The  entrance  was  through  an  arched  doorway. 

After  the  defeat  of  Opechancanoiigh  in  1644,  Indian  mas- 
sacre was  practically  unknown  at  Jamestown.  The  old 
chief,  aged  and  blind,  was  captured  and  imprisoned  here. 
Greatly  to  his  indignation  he  was  the  subject  of  much  cu- 
riosity and  comment.  One  of  his  utterances  to  that  effect 
was,  "Had  it  been  my  fortune  to  take  Sir  William  Berkeley 
prisoner,  I  would  have  disdained  to  make  a  show  of  him." 
He  was  fatally  wounded  by  one  of  his  guards.  His  remains 
were  probably  buried  in  the  old  graveyard. 


The  church  was  rebuilt  after  Bacon's  Eebellion,  but  gi'adu- 
ally  fell  into  disuse  and  ruin  about  the  end  of  the  seven- 
teenth century.  Within  its  nave  and  chancel  many  un- 
known dead  are  interred.  An  ironstone  tablet,  with  inlaid 
brasses  missing,  lies  with  its  head  to  the  north,  thus  giving 
rise  to  the  theory  that  it  is  a  cenotaph.  The  time-honored 
custom  of  Christian  burials,  to  place  the  feet  toward  the  ris- 
ing sun,  was  formerly  universallj''  observed.  To  some  the 
channeling  in  the  stone  of  the  head  indicates  a  helmet.  The 
impression  made  by  the  coat-of-arms  is  very  distinct.  It 
has  been  suggested  that  possibly  it  was  in  memory  of  Gover- 
nor Sir  George  Yeardley.    He  died  at  Jamestov/n  in  1627. 


iomittton  af  Hirginta 


'ID 


The  tombstone  of  Rev.  John  Clough,  who  was  minister 
during  Bacon's  Eebellion  (1676),  has  the  only  legible  in- 
scription. He  was  a  supporter  of  Berkeley's,  was  captured 
by  Bacon  and  condemned  to  death,  but  was  pardoned,  and 
died  at  Jamesto^^Ti  in  January,  1683. 

In  excavating  there  was  found  in  the  chancel  a  skeleton 
six  feet  six  inches  tall. 

The  old  graveyard  lies  immediately  around  the  church. 
In  1898  several  skeletons  were  found  by  the  caving  in  of  a 
part  of  the  bank  near  the  river,  and  in  completing  the  sea- 
wall in  1905  one  other  skeleton  was  brought  to  light,  proving 
that  "God's  Acre"  originally  extended  several  hundred  feet 
further  than  the  present  enclosure.  There  are  signs  of  graves 
immediately  outside  the  wall.  This  wall  was  built  durino- 
the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century,  from  the  ruined 
walls  of  the  last  church.  That  the  graveyard  is  very  ancient 
is  proven  by  finding  a  human  skeleton  buried  across  the  line 
of  foundations  of  the  first  brick  church  (1639-44).  As  the 
frame  building  of  1618  was  built  on  almost  the  same  ground, 
it  is  probably  the  original  burying  ground. 

"Beneath  those  rugged  elms,  that  yew  tree's  shade, 
Uliere  heaves  the  turf  in  many  a  moldering  heap, 

Each  in  his  narrow  cell  forever  laid. 

The  rude  forefathers  of  the  hamlet  sleep." 
With  a  tliought  of  the  irony  of  fate  we  muse, 

"Of    high    and    low    condition, 

Just    and   unjust, 
The  patient  and  physician 

All  turned  to  dust." 


26  (EoloMtal  (Eapitalfi  nf  tljj 

Among  the  legible  tombstone  inscriptions  is  that  of  Wil- 
liam Sherwood,  who  directed  in  his  will  that  his  body  "be 
buried  at  the  east  end  of  the  church  at  James  City,  without 
the  walls" — and  "that  my  good  friend  Jeffry  Jeffreys  of  Lon- 
don, Esq.,  Do  send  a  gravestone  to  be  laid  upon  my  grave 
with  this  Inscription,  here  lies  William  Sherwood,  that  was 
born  in  the  Parish  of  White  Chappell,  near  London,  a  great 
sinner  waiting  for  a  Joyfull  Resurrection."  His  epitaph 
testifies  that  this  part  of  his  Avill  was  carried  out  to  the  letter. 

Of  Mrs  Hannah  Ludwell  it  is  written, 

"After  a  most  exemplary  Life 
Spent  in  Cheerful   Innocence 
And  the  continual   Exercise  of 
Piety,  Charity,  and  Hospitality 
/She    Patiently    Submitted 
Death  on  the  4th  Day  of  April  1731  in  52d  Year  of  Her  Age." 

One  of  the  freaks  of  nature  is  noticed  in  an  enormous  old 
sycamore  which  has  grown  between  the  graves  of  Dr.  James 
Blair  and  his  wife,  Sarah  Blair,  trying  its  best  to  cause  a  di- 
vorce. The  graves  are  side  by  side.  In  the  tree's  effort  to 
grow,  it  caught  in  the  side  of  Mrs.  Blair's  tomb,  shatter- 
ing both  stones  to  such  an  extent  that  large  fragments  have 
been  broken  off.  In  1807,  during  the  second  centennial  cele- 
bration, this  sycamore  was  noticed  as  a  young  tree. 

Dr.  Blair's  tombstone  inscription  reads: 

"His   sepultus  est 

Vir  ReverenduB  et  Honorabilia 

JACOBUS    BLAIR,    A.    M. 

Qui 

In  Scotia  natus 

In    Academia    Edinburgensi    nutritus, 


iomminn  of  Birgtttta  27 


Primo  Angaliam  deinde  Virginiam 

Venit: 

Qua  Parte  Tenarum 

Annos  LVIII.       Evangelii  Preconis 

LIV.     Commissarii 

Gulielmi  et  Mariae  praesidis, 

e  Britanniae  Principum 

Consilarii 

Coneillii  Preasidis 

Coloniae  Prefect! 
munera  sustinuit: 
ornavit 
um  oris  venusti  Decus, 
ate  haliri  sine  (?)   hospitali 
munificent 
issimo    egenis    largo, 
omnibus  corni 
superavit, 
Collegio   bene    devioram 

Fundaverat 

eus    Bibliothe    cani   suam 

id  aJeudum  Theologiae  studiosum 

juventutum  pauperiorum  instituendam 

Testamento  legavit 

Cal.  Maii  in  die 

MDCCXLIII 

aetat:   LXXXVIII. 

am  desideratissimi 

Seuis   Laudem 

is  nepotibus  commedabunt 

pene  marmore  perenniora." 

Dr.  Blair  was  minister  at  Jamestown,  commissary  to  the 
Bishop  of  London,  a  member  of  the  Council,  founder  of  Wil- 
liam and  Mary  College,  its  first  president,  and  rector  of  Bru- 
ton  Church  in  Williamsburg,  the  oldest  Episcopal  Church 
in  continual  use  in  America. 

Here  is  buried  John  Ambler,  Esq.,  a  member  of  the  Colo- 
nial Assembly,  brother  to  Jacqueline  Ambler,  the  "Aristotle 
of  Virginia;"  also  his  brother  Edward  Ambler  and  his  wife. 
These  stones  are  hardly  legible,  but  have  been  identified 


28  (Eolomal  (Eapilals  of  tl|r 

ds  the  gTOup  in  the  northeast  corner  of  the  yard.  Mrs.  Ed- 
ward xVmbler  was  Mar}'  Cary,  Washington's  young  sweet- 
heart, and  Mrs.  Jacqueline  Ambler,  formerly  Rebecca  Bur- 
well,  rejected  Thomas  Jefferson. 

Here  were  found  fragments  of  the  tombstone  of  Lady 
Frances  Berkeley,  wife  of  the  colonial  governor.  Though 
married  three  times  she  always  called  herself  Lady  Berkeley. 

Several  members  of  the  Ludwell  family,  Ursula  Beverly, 
daughter  of  William  Byrd,  and  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Drummond 
of  Bacon's  Eebellion  fame,  have  here  their  last  resting  place. 

During  the  second  centennial  celebration  in  1807  we  are 
told  that  they  buried  in  the  graveyard  a  young  man  who 
died  from  heat  and  "the  too  free  use  of  ice  in  cyder."  It 
was  at  this  time  that  steps  were  taken  for  adopting  resolu- 
tions toward  making  the  thirteenth  of  May  an  annual  holi- 
day for  the  state.  This  anniversary  was  celebrated  by  the 
citizens  of  the  neighboring  towns.  Thirty-two  sailing 
vessels  brought  the  crowd,  which  consisted  of  over  four 
hundred  ladies.  An  eloquent  prayer  by  Bishop  Madison 
began  the  opening  exercises.  At  its  conclusion  "pious  tears 
were  seen  hanging  on  many  a  cheek  furrowed  by  age  or 
adorned  with  youthful  bloom."  Orations  were  delivered  by 
Briscoe  G.  Baldwin  and  John  Madison,  odes  by  C.  K.  Blan- 
chard  and  Leroy  Anderson,  students  at  William  and  Mary 
College. 

Leaving  the  resting  i)]aco  of  this  "bygone  generation" 
and  passing  through  the  Confederate  fort  and  an  open  space 


RIINS    OF    STATE   HOTSE   AND   lA'OWELL    HOUSES    AT   JAMESTOWN. 


iomtttixitt  af  Utrgittta  29 

to  the  next  ridge,  we  find  the  largest  group  of  foundations 
remaining.  They  have  been  established  as  the  ruins  of  the 
third  and  fourth  State  Houses,  three  houses  belonging  to 
Philip  Ludwell,  and  the  so-called  "Country  House," 

The  third  and  fourth  State  Houses  were  built  on  the  same 
site  (eastern  end  of  the  ruins).  Their  foundations  indi- 
cate that  it  was  a  symmetrical  building  with  a  square  porch 
in  front — facing  the  south — and  with  a  porch  and  two  niches 
in  the  back,  which  may  have  been  either  bay-windows  or  fire- 
places. There  is  no  indication  of  the  latter  in  any  other 
part.  From  the  numerous  heated  discussions  which  took 
place  here,  by  the  great  lights  among  the  Nation's  founders, 
the  fireplaces  were  hardly  necessary. 

The  third  State  House  was  built  in  1666.  It  was  in  front 
of  this  building  that  Bacon  drew  up  his  little  band,  demand- 
ing of  Governor  Berkeley  a  commission  which  had  been  re- 
peatedly denied  and  put  off,  that  he  might  protect  the 
settlers  from  Indian  attack  and  massacre.  The  old  Governor, 
his  conscience  smiting  him  and  thinking  that  Bacon's  time 
for  revenge  had  come,  rushed  out  of  the  State  House  and 
baring  his  breast  to  the  soldiers  cried  dramatically,  "Here, 
shoot  me,  fore  God,  fair  mark,  shoot !"  "Sir,"  Bacon  re- 
plied, "We  came  here  for  a  commission  against  the  heathen 
who  daily  murder  us  and  spill  our  brethren's  blood,  and  not 
to  fight  you.  My  sword  shall  rust,  in  its  scabbard  before 
even  a  hair  of  your  head  is  touched." 


30  (Eolotttal  (EapitalB  rrf  tl|e 

Even  then  the  Governor  declined  to  grant  the  request, 
and  the  muskets  of  the  troops  were  promptly  leveled  at  the 
windows  from  which  the  alarmed  Burgesses  fled  in  confusion, 
cr3-ing,  ''For  God's  sake,  hold  your  hands  and  forbear  a 
little,  and  you  shall  have  what  you  please."  Finally  the 
Governor  was  induced  to  give  the  demanded  commission, 
but  no  sooner  were  Bacon  and  his  men  on  their  way  to  fight 
the  Indians  than  he  denounced  them  as  traitors. 

The  next  year  the  house  was  burned  with  the  rest  of  the 
town  by  Bacon's  men  as  a  protection  against  the  tyrannical 
Governor,  though  we  are  told  that  William  Drummjond, 
Bacon's  friend,  took  the  precaution  to  save  the  records  in  the 
secretary's  office.  It  was  Drummond  who  set  fire  to  his  own 
house,  and  whose  wife,  picking  up  a  straw  and  breaking  it 
said,  "I  fear  the  power  of  England  no  more  than  a  broken 
straw."  Tradition  says  that  a  year  or  two  later  he  was 
captured  and  condemned  to  execution  by  Berkeley.  As  he 
was  led  into  the  room  the  latter  exclaimed,  "You  are  very 
welcome,  Mr.  Drummond.  I  am  more  glad  to  see  you  than 
any  man  in  Virignia.    You  shall  hang  in  half  an  hour." 

From  this  time  until  1686  the  "King's  Council"  met  in 
one  of  the  numerous  taverns.  A  writer  of  that  day  tells  us 
that  "about  a  dozen  families"  were  in  the  habit  of  "getting 
their  livings  by  keeping  of  ordinaries,  at  extraordinary 
rates."* 

A  story  is  told  of  a  sm)all  company  of  British  soldiers  sent 
to  protect  Berkeley.    Seeing  a  great  quantity  of  "Jamestown 

•Mrs.  Ann  Cotton. 


iomminn  at  Utrgutta  31 

Weed  "  growing,  and  thinking  it  was  a  salad,  they  boiled  it 
for  a  meal.  It  made  such  fools  of  them,  that  they  had  to  be 
locked  up  for  several  days,  until  their  reason  returned. 

The  fourth  State  House,  as  before  mentioned,  was  built 
about  1686  on  the  same  site.  It  continued  in  use  until  it 
was  burned  in  1698.  It  was  never  rebuilt,  and  the  capital 
was  moved  to  Williamsburg  the  following  year. 


Siuiim^U  i^nuBt 


Next  to  the  State  House  are  the  three  house  ruins  be- 
longing to  Philip  Ludwell,  the  tliird  husband  of  Berkeley's 
widow,  and  Governor  of  North  Carolina.  He  had  the  con- 
tract for  building  the  fourth  State  House. 

All  of  these  Ludwell  houses,  including  the  Country  House, 
at  the  end  of  the  row,  show  where  large  fireplaces  of  about 
eight  feet  were  placed.  Several  of  the  cellars  are  paved  and 
that  of  the  third  house,  next  to  the  river,  contains  a  brick 
pit — probably  a  well. 

On  one  side  of  its  cellar,  and  also  to  the  cellar  of  the 
"Country  House,"  steps  lead  down.  Wlien  excavated  in  1903 
several  sheets  of  melted  lead,  two  bombshells,  fragments  of 
exploded  shells,  a  pipe,  scissors,  steel  sewing  thimble,  copper 
candle-stick,  ladies'  riding  stirrup,  and  an  old  bottle,  all  of 
very  quaint  and  curious  appearance,  were  found.  These 
things  are  preserved  under  the  tower  ruin  by  the  caretaker 
of  the  A.  P.  V.  A's.  The  brick  work  is  the  same  as  that 
of  the  church. 


32  (flolomal  Qla^italB  of  tlje 

The  '"■  Count  ry  House"'  was  probably  so  called  because  it 
was  owned  by  the  Country  or  Colony. 

Near  these  rums  are  an  old  well  and  an  ancient  pear  tree. 
About  three  hundred  feet  in  the  river,  and  on  a  straight  line 
from  the  sea-wall,  an  old  cypress  tree  stands  sentinel,  help- 
ing the  eye  to  better  judge  the  extent  of  the  Island  washed 
away.  At  low  tide  the  water  around  it  is  very  shallow.  The 
original  shore  line  was  about  180  feet  further  out. 

Along  the  south  river  banlc  are  seen  some  gnarled  and 
crooked  mulberry  trees,  descendants  perhaps  of  those  planted 
in  1G21  when  it  was  made  compulsory  by  statute  in  order  to 
introduce  the  silk  industry.  Foreign  workmen  were  imported 
to  teach  the  art.  In  1G(!8  Berkeley  sent  a  present  of  silk  to 
Charles  II,  which  was  woven  into  a  coronation  robe. 

Msn  of  Natp 

On  this  western  end  of  the  Island  lived  a  number  of  men 
of  note  in  the  Colony,*  among  whom  were  Eobert  Beverly, 
the  historian;  Eichard  Lawrence,  Bacon's  friend  and  com- 
patriot; two  consecutive  Philip  Ludwells;  Lieu.  Edward  Ross; 
and  Colonel  Nathaniel  Bacon,  Sr.,  second  cousin  to  the 
patriot  of  that  name.  The  foundations  of  a  ruined  chimney 
mark  the  site  of  his  dwelling,  just  east  of  the  Confederate 
Fort. 

*The  Site  of  Old  "James  Towne,"  page  41. 


Icmutuitt  of  Utrgutia  33 

The  part  of  the  Island  extending  east  of  the  tower  ruin 
for  about  three-eighths  of  a  mile  was  built  up  at  a  little  later 
date.  It  was  known  as  "New  Towne"  and  was  probably 
begun  under  Governor  Sir  George  Yeardley,  who  entered 
upon  his  administration  during  1619.  Very  little  remains  to 
tell  the  story.  One  hundred  and  fifty  feet  from  the  wharf 
and  one  hundred  feet  from  the  river  are  traces  of  a  house 
foundation.  It  was  possibly  the  site  of  the  first  State  House 
used  in  1630.  Six  hundred  feet  further  along  the  river  bank 
is  the  site  of  the  Turf  Fort,  as  ascertained  by  Mr.  Young.* 
This  was  the  second  fort  erected,  and  is  described  by  ancient 
writers  as  quadrangular  in  plan  "with  something  like  Bas- 
tions at  the  four  corners.'^  No  visible  traces  remain. 

Along  the  river  bank  was  the  front  street.  Eunniag  just 
in  front  of  the  Jacqueline-Ambler  ruin  is  what  was  known 
as  Back  street.  Traces  of  house  foundations  can  be 
seen  in  some  places. 


The  Jacqueline-Ambler  ruin  is  practically  the  only  one 
east  of  the  tower.  The  date  of  it  is  unknown,  but  mention 
was  made  of  it  in  1807.  It  was  burned  during  the  Civil  War, 
was  afterwards  rebuilt,  and  burned  again  in  1896,  making 
the  picturesque  and  romantic  ruin  of  to-day. 

*The  Site  of  Old  "James  Towne,"  page  74. 


34  (Hulnmal  (Ea|iUals  af  % 

Here  lived  Mary  Ambler,  formerly  Mary  Cary.  The 
stor}'  goes  that  when  she  was  first  addressed  by  the  young 
lieutenant,  George  Washington,  she  tossed  her  head  and 
said  she  had  no  idea  of  marrying  a  young  lieutenant;  and 
her  father,  the  noted  Colonel  Wilson  Cary,  said  for  her,  to 
the  future  "Father  of  His  Country,"  "If  that  is  your  business 
here,  sir,  I  wish  you  to  leave  the  house,  for  my  daughter  has 
been  accustomed  to  ride  in  her  own  coach."  Her  lovely  face 
was  said  to  be  very  much  like  that  of  the  widow  Custis, 

Among  the  residents  of  this  part  of  the  town  were  Gov- 
ernor Sir  George  Yeardley,  Gov.  Sir.  Francis  Wyatt,  Dr. 
Potts,  "Physician  General  to  the  Colony,"  Captain  Ealph 
Hamor,  secretary  of  State  and  Chronicler,  George  Sandys, 
America's  first  poet.  Captain  Eoger  Smith,  Captain  Richard 
Stevens,  William  Sherwood,  Attorney  General,  and  a  number 
of  others  whose  deeds  and  valor  are  written  deep  in  the 
history,  not  only  of  this  small  Island,  but  in  that  of  the 
whole  Nation. 


In  1898  the  Bishops  and  Clergy  of  the  Episcopal  Church 
throughout  the  United  States  visited  the  Island  in  a  body. 
They  held  impressive  services  near  the  tower  ruin  and 
erected  a  stone  cross  in  commemoration  of  the  event. 

EvmtxB  lurtal  (iirnutiJi 

In  a  grove  of  trees  toward  the  east  end  of  the  Island  is 
the  private  burial  ground  of  the  Travis  family.  It  is  a  for- 
saken and  neglected  spot.    Most  of  the  family  were  buried 


jBomuttott  of  Birgmta  35 

between  1700  and  1759.  Only  two  legible  tombstones  re- 
main. The  first  is  carved  with  a  skull  and  cross  bones,  and 
reads : 

"Here  lyeth  in  the  hope  of  a  glorious  Resurrection 
the  body  of  JOHN   CHA]\IPION  who  was   borne 
the   10th  day  of  Xovember  in  the  yeare  of  our 
Lord    1660      and     departed     this    life     the    16th 
day     of  December   in  the  year     of     our     Lord 

1700. 
And  likewise  JOHN  CHAMPION  the  son  of  John 
Champion  who  was  borne  the  11th.  day  of  Dec. 
in    the    yeare    of    our    Lord    1695    and    departed 
this  life  the  11th  day  of  September  in  the  yeare 
of  our  Lord  1700." 

The  other  is  inscribed : 

SUSANNA  TAVIS  wife  of 
Edward    Champion   Travis   and 
Daughter  of  John  Hutehings 
of  the  Borough  of  Norfolk  Mercht 
and  Amy  his  Wife  who  departed 
this  life  October  the  28th:     1761  in  the 
33rd  Year  of  her  Age  much  Lamented 
by  all  her  Acquaintance 
And  leaving  Issue  three  Sons  and 
one  Daughter. 

Nigh   this   Place   are   also   Interred 

The  Following  Children  of  the  said 

Edward  Travis  and  Susannah  his  wife 

ELIZABETH  who  was  bom  August 

24th  1748  and  Died  September  22d  1749 

AMY  who  was  born  October  9th  1752 

and  Died  October  2nd  1775 

JOHN  who  was  born  December  9th  1755 

and  Died  November  25th  1759. 


This  small  dot  on  the  country's  map,  impressing  one  with 

the  thought  that 

"Even  the  ghosts  departed 
Long  years  ago," 


36  (Holonial  (EapitalH  of  tl|^ 

embraces  in  its  tiny  area   hallowed  traditions  and  historical 
associations  "which  shall  live  and  last  for  aye." 


Jnur  MiU  ®r^^  iJ^omt 

This  is  the  name  given  to  a  plantation  originally  includ- 
ing two  thousand  acres.  It  is  situated  on  the  opposite  side 
(south)  of  James  river  from  Jamestown,  and  four  miles 
further  up.  On  a  hill  near  the  water's  edge  a  handsome 
old  house  overlooks  the  river.  This  house  with  the  whole 
plantation,  was  the  estate  of  the  Brownes  and  remained  in 
their  family  for  two  hundred  years.  The  first  owner,  Colonel 
Henry  Browne,  was  a  member  of  Sir  William  Berkeley's 
Council  in  1643.  The  house  is  exceedingly  quaint  both  in- 
side and  out. 

In  a  near-by  garden  is  the  second  oldest  tombstone  in 
Virginia,  dated  January  7th,  1650.  It  marks  the  grave 
of  Alice  Miles,  daughter  of  John  Miles,  of  Branton,  Here- 
fordshere,  and  wife  of  Colonel  George  Jordan,  Attorney 
General  of  Virginia  in  1670.  The  tombstone  of  Colonel 
William  Perry  of  Westover,  who  died  in  1637,  is  the  oldest 
in  Virginia. 

In  a  field  near  the  house  are  the  ruins  of  tliree  adobe 
houses.  It  is  most  unusual  to  see  an  adobe  house  east  of  the 
Mississippi  river,  and,  consequently,  there  are  many  sur- 
mises as  to  the  date  of  these.  It  is  probable  that  they  were 
put  up  at  an  early  period  of  colonial  history. 


lommion  of  Hirgtnm  37 

Eight  miles  from  Williamsburg  and  four  miles  distant 
from  Jamestown  there  is  a  large  plantation  known  as  Green- 
spring.  It  is  approached  by  a  county  road  from  Williams- 
burg, and  a  woods  road  of  four  miles  leading  from  James- 
town, 

This  estate  was  formerly  the  home  of  Sir  William  Berke- 
ley, governor  to  the  colony  in  1642  to  1652,  and  from  1660 
to  1677.  The  governor  lived  luxuriously  and  entertained 
lavishly  in  his  country  home.  It  was  a  magnificent  estate. 
The  lawn  was  beautifully  terraced.  There  were  shade  trees 
and  flowers  of  every  variety  and  numerous  tropical  plants 
flourished  in  hot  houses.  Traces  of  the  terraces,  and  masses 
of  jonquils  and  narcissusses  are  all  that  remain  of  its  former 
beauty,  while  the  celebrated  dwelling  is  only  a  picturesque 
ruin.  A  few  of  the  original  out-houses  are  still  to  be  seen, 
and  the  "very  fine,  green  spring  that  is  upon  the  land"  and 
from  which  the  place  was  named  is  still  one  of  its  features. 
It  was  said  that  the  spring  was  "so  very  cold  that  'tis  danger- 
ous drinking  thereof  in  the  summer  time." 

After  Berkeley's  death,  his  widow  and  her  third  husband, 
Philip  Ludwell  I,  made  Greenspring  their  home.  Two  other 
Philip  Ludwells  owned  the  place,  and  in  the  latter  part  of 
his  life,  Hon.  William  Lee,  who  married  a  daughter  of  Philip 
Ludwell  III,  lived  here.  He  was  minister  of  the  United 
States  to  the  courts  of  Vienna  and  Berlin.  Lord  Culpeper, 
governor  of  the  colony  in  1680,  rented  it  during  his  admin- 
istration. 


38  CEolotttal  (Ea^iitalH  of  % 

In  1676,  as  Bacon  was  on  his  way  to  Jamestown  with  his 
small  army,  they  halted  for  a  few  hours  in  the  fields  of 
Gteenspring.  Bacon  made  them  a  short  address,  ending  with 
the  words,  "Come  on,  my  hearts  of  Gold ;  he  that  dies  in  the 
field  of  battle  sleeps  on  the  bed  of  honor."  As  they  proceeded 
to  Jamestown,  they  captured  the  wives  of  the  prominent  men 
who  sided  with  Berkeley,  and  in  order  to  have  time  to  erect 
breastworks  the  women  were  placed  in  front  of  the  line  as  a 
protection  against  the  guns  of  the  enemy.  Wlien  the  latter 
were  ready  to  fire,  there  was  a  line  of  white  aprons  fluttering 
in  the  breeze,  and,  naturally,  no  man  wished  to  shoot  his 
own  wife,  so  Bacon's  ruse  was  successful. 

It  was  the  next  year,  after  the  death  of  their  valiant  leader 
in  Gloucester  county,  that  Berkeley  had  Bacon's  men  arrest- 
ed as  traitors  and  brought  to  Greenspring  for  a  pretended 
trial.  Jamestown  at  that  time  was  in  ashes.  The  verdict 
in  each  instance  was  the  same,  death  by  hanging,  notwith- 
standing the  entreaty  of  friends  and  relatives.  The  gallant 
Colonel  Hansford,  young,  bright  and  handsome,  asked  to  be 
shot  like  a  soldier.  The  Governor  refused,  saying,  "You  shall 
die  like  a  rebel."  So  wholesale  was  the  slaughter  that  not 
only  were  the  people  of  Virginia  disgusted  but  the  king  of 
England  and  his  subjects  as  well.  The  old  tyrant  went  over 
to  England  soon  after  his  brutalities  and  met  with  so  much 
coldness  and  discourtesy  that  he  died  of  mortification  a  few 
months  later. 

Across  a  part  of  the  lawn  and  in  the  neighboring  fields 
are  the  remains    of  breastworks  thrown   up  a  little  over  a 


iomtnixin  of  Btrgima  39 

hundred  years  later,  during  the  closing  year  of  the  Eevolu- 
tion.  Cornwallis  and  Lafayette  had  a  short  skirmish  in  the 
old  fields.  The  latter  was  defeated  and  the  British  general 
pushed  on  to  Jamestown,  where  he  crossed  the  river  and  pro- 
ceeded to  Yorktown. 


"  *®  ia  matt  B  moxBt  ht^h  tn  kt 
®ljF  'tijtttga  tl|at  Ijatir  b^^tt*  ruti  tn  tuaatt. 
AttJi  itt  tlje  ttttttt^attittg  prra^nt  atttk  tif^paat : 
3(n  tuljnaf  bittt  glaaa  rhrtt  ttntu  31  faitttlg  r? ati 
(ilh  bttmli  foritta  atth  farea  Uittg  a^n" 


dintipx  to  fHap  of  MilUamBhurg,  Utrrjinta. 

A.  Old  Stage  Road  or  "Kings  Highway." 

B.  Road  to  Oi-eenspring  and  Jamesto\\'n. 

C.  Road  to  College  Creek,  leading  to  James  River. 

D.  Road  to  Queens  Creek,  leading  to  York  River. 

E.  Road  to  Yorkto-ftTi. 

1.  ^Yilliam  and  Mary  College.  1693. 

2.  Braflerton — formerly  Indian  School,   1723. 

3.  President's  House,    1732.     Rebuilt  by  Louis  XVI. 

4.  Blair  House. 

6.  Bruton  Episcopal  Church,  1715. 

6.  Wj'the  House. 

7.  Dunniore's  Cave. 

8.  Audrey's  House. 

9.  Palace  Green. 

10.  Court  House.   1769. 

11.  House  in  which  Lafayette  was  entertained.     (Now  occupied  by 

Mayor  Warburton.) 

12.  Brick  Hotel. 

13.  Powder  Horn,  1714. 

14.  Baptist  Church.     Built  in  1856  with  the  bricks  of  the  Powder 

Horn  wall  for  foundation. 

15.  Paradise  House,  about  1760. 

16.  Old  House. 

17.  Ancient  Masonic  Temple. 

18.  Site  of  Old  Raleigh  Tavern.     Burned  in  1859. 

19.  Vest  House.     (In  which  I^fayette's  ofBcers  were  entertained.) 

20.  Clerk's  or  Chancery  Office.  Has  been  added  to  and  made  a  home. 

21.  Ruins  of  the  House  of  Burgesses.     Burned  in  1832. 

22.  Site  of  the  first  Theatre  in  America,  1716. 

23.  Peyton  Randolph's  home. 

24.  Tazewell  Hall.     (Home  of  Edmund  Randolph.) 

25.  Martha  Washington's  Kitchen. 

26.  Eastern  State  Hospital,  1768.  * 

27.  Debtor's  Prison. 

28.  Bassett  Hall. 

29.  Gary   House — Where   George   Washington  and   George   Fairfax 

went  courting. 

30.  Custis  House — In  which  the  Colonial  Governor  Dinwiddie  was 

entertained    while     the     palace     was    undergoing     repairs. 
(Now  owned  by  Mrs.  Hansford.) 

31.  Old  House — Oldest  part  built  in  1761.     (Now  occupied  by  the 

Misses  Garrett.) 

32.  Old  House — Contains  an  old  wine  cellar  and  very  large  brick 

fireplaces. 

33.  Old  House — Said  to  have  been  the  home  of  "Blackbeard,"  the 

pirate    who  was    killed    under    Spotswood'a    administration 
(1710-23),  and  thirteen  of  his  men  hung  in  Williamsburg. 


n 


WUtatttsbwrg 


^  * 


OR  the  appreciative  visitor  to  this  "village 
city,"  Williamsburg  has  a  five-fold  interest 
in  its  unique  character  and  atmosphere,  its 
age,  quaint  architecture,  historic  associations, 
and  the  romantic  lustre  which  brightens  the 
pages  in  many  novels  of  Virginia's  most 
talented  writers. 

This  small  city  of  twenty-five  hundred 
inhabitants,  boasting  of  a  charter  from  royal 
hands,  has  a  character  at  once  distinctive 
and  engaging. 

Enfolded  with  an  atmosphere  of  peace- 
fulness,  it  forms  an  inviting  retreat. 

The  town  was  laid  out  and  paled  in  by  the  colonial  Gov- 
ernor Sir  John  Harvey  in  1632  and  was  known  as  Middle 
Plantation.  In  1698  streets  were  laid  out  by  Governor 
Frances  Nicholson,  and  the  town  named  in  honor  of  the 
first  of  the  reigning  sovereigns,  William  and  Mary.  After 
the  burning  of  the  State  House  at  Jamestown,  the  seat  of 
government    was  removed    to    WiUiamsburg    by  Governor 


44  (Eoloittal  (EapttalH  of  t^t 

Nicholson  in  1699.  From  then  until  the  capital  was  re- 
moved to  Richmond  in  1779,  Williamsburg  was  in  its  pris- 
tine glory,  "most  families  of  any  note  having  a  coach,  chariot, 
berlin  or  chaise."  A  contemporaneous  writer*  tells  us  that 
"at  balls  and  assemblies,  I  have  seen  as  fine  an  appearance, 
as  good  diversion,  and  as  splendid  entertainment  in  Gov. 
Spotswood's  time  as  I  have  seen  anywhere  else."  The 
people,  he  says,  "can  discourse  handsomely  on  most  common 
subjects";  that  they  had  the  "shortest  and  best  methods"  of 
doing  the  most  ordinary  things,  were  quick  and  "of  excellent 
sense." 

Of  the  public  buildings  he  said,  "They  are  Justly  reputed 
the  best  in  all  English  America,  and  are  exceeded  by  few  of 
their  kind  in  England."  By  1776,  "The  houses,  mostly 
wooden,  number  less  than  one  hundred."  "The  streets  were 
unpaved  and  dusty — the  soil  being  sandy."  The  side-walks 
were  hard  white  marl  until  paved  during  the  summer  of 
1905. 

The  town  is  situated  on  the  elevated  peninsula  between 
the  historic  James  and  York  rivers;  so  necessarily  there  was 
a  great  difference  in  the  healthfulness  of  the  first  capital 
and  this  second  one.  There  were  no  mosquitoes  and  the  air 
was  "serene  and  temperate."  Even  during  the  summer 
months  it  was  said  that  one  could  keep  very  comfortable, 
"especially  if  there  be  windows  enough  to  draw  the  air." 
Even  as  to-day,  there  was  an  "easy  way  of  living  and  the 

•Hugh  Jones'  "Present  State  of  Virginia." 


iommtnn  nf  Hirgtma  45 

heat  of  the  summer  makes  some  very  lazy,  who  are  then  said 
to  be  climate  struck/' 

Not  many  years  ago  it  might  have  been  said  with  a  good 
deal  of  truth  that  the  people  of  this  little  town  lived  in  the 
present  only  to  dream  of  the  past  and  future. 

That  it  has  a  past  of  which  it  is  justly  proud  is  verified 
by  the  names  of  the  streets,  called  after  royal  favorites  of 
long  ago,  the  kitchen  of  Martha  Washington  and  even  the 
elm  tree  said  to  be  planted  by  her  own  hands. 

The  historic  incidents  and  traditions  cluster  principally 
around  Duke  of  Gloucester  and  its  two  parallel  streets, 
Francis  and  Nicholson,  called  after  the  colonial  governor 
who  laid  them  out.  England,  Scotland,  Tazewell  and  Pic- 
cadilly have  a  colonial  association. 

Duke  of  Gloucester,  the  colonial  boulevard,  is  the  main 
street.  It  is  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  in  length,  ninety  feet 
wide,  and  lined  on  both  sides  with  shade  trees.  A  student  of 
William  and  Mary  College,  in  a  letter  describing  the  town 
in  1804,  said,  "Indeed  I  never  saw  and  I  think  there  cannot 
be  a  more  elegant  street  anywhere  than  the  Main  street  is." 
The  lamp-posts  extend  down  the  middle  of  the  street.  At 
one  end  are  the  foundations  of  the  House  of  Burgesses;  at 
the  other,  William  and  Mary  College. 

Facing  the  College,  the  road  to  the  right  is  known  as  the 
old  Stage  Road  or  "King's  Highway."  It  was  over  this 
road  that  Washington  journeyed  to  and  fro  from  Mt.  Vernon, 
that  Eandolph,  Lee,  Pendleton,  and  numerous  others  traveled 

f  7  • 


f    * 


46  (Eiilotttal  Capitals  nf  tij? 

on  their  way  to  Philadelphia  to  the  first  Continental  Con- 
gress; over  this  road  ran  the  first  mail  route,  established 
during  Spotswood's  time.  Gov.  Spotswood  was  Postmaster 
General  of  the  Colony  for  a  number  of  years.  It  was  over 
this  road  that  he  passed  with  his  "Knights"  on  that  memor- 
able first  journey  across  the  Blue  Eidge  Mountains  of  Vir- 
ginia. 

The  order  "Knights  of  the  Golden  Horse-Shoe"  established 
by  the  gallant  Governor  in  commemoration  of  the  event  was 
the  first  purely  American  organization.  A  small  gold  horse- 
shoe, set  with  jewels  and  inscribed  with  the  motto,  "Sic 
juvat  transcendere  montes,"  was  presented  to  each  Knight. 
The  expedition  is  charmingly  described  in  Miss  Jolmston's 
romantic  novel  "Audrey."  rA  small  quaint  house  on  Dun- 
more  street  is  often  pointed  out  to  visitors  to  this  old  tovm, 
as  the  mythical  home  of  Audrey,  the  heroine.  Scratched  on 
one  of  the  tiny  window-panes  in  the  house  are  the  initials 

Spotswood  established  the  first  iron  works  in  America, 
thus  getting  the  name  of  "Tubal  Cain"  of  Virginia. 

The  road  to  the  left  of  the  College  leads  to  Jamestown  and 
Greenspring.  It  is  associated  very  closely  with  Audrey. 
Where  the  road  forks,  Washington  met  Lafayette  for  the 


WII.I.l.VM    AM)    MAKY    COI,LE(iE. 


Snmmintt  of  Btrgutta  47 

first  time.  The  story  goes  that  they  were  both  on  horse- 
back. Washington  extended  his  hand  in  greeting.  The 
youthful  Frenchman  was  so  overcome  by  his  emotions  that 
he  leaned  over  and  kissed  the  gallant  American  general. 

It  seems  very  fitting  that  the  triangle  enclosed  by  these 
two  historic  roads  should  be  occupied  by  the  venerable  Col- 
lege of  "William  and  Mary.  The  campus  of  green  grass  and 
old  shade  trees  forms  a  pleasing  setting  for  this  second  oldest 
institution  of  learning  in  the  United  States.  It  was  founded 
in  1693  through  the  effort  of  Rev.  James  Blair,  D.  D.,*  its 
first  President  and  rector  of  the  Church  at  Jamestown  and 
of  Bruton  Church  in  Williamsburg. 

Sir  Christopher  Wren,  the  famous  English  architect  who 
introduced  the  pure  Renaissance  in  England  in  the  building 
of  St.  Paul's  Cathedral,  drew  the  plans  for  this  Colonial 
institution,  though  they  were  remodeled  to  suit  the  conveni- 
ence of  a  new  land.  It  is  unpretentious  in  style,  built  of  old 
red  and  blue  glazed  bricks,  and  presents  a  very  ancient  ap- 
pearance for  this  new  country  of  ours.  An  old  letter  dated 
from  Williamsburg  in  1804  and  written  by  a  very  critical 
young  man,  reads,  in  describing  the  building,  "The  person 
Sir  Christopher  Wren,  who  planned  it,  has  not  manifested 
an  exquisite  taste  for  the  beauties  of  architecture.  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson, in  speaking  of  it,  calls  it  a  rude,  misshapen  pile,  which, 

*Tomb  at  Jamestown,  see  page  26. 


48  (EoUimal  (Eapttalfi  of  tl|P 

but  for  its  roof,  would  be  taken  for  a  common  brick- 
kiln. It  certainly  is  not  an  elegant  structure,  but  it  is  easily 
distinguishable  from  a  brick-kiln."  Jefferson  has  also  said 
that  his  destiny  in  life  was  fixed  while  a  student  at  William 
and  Mary  College  by  Dr.  Small,  "the  illustrious  professor  of 
mathematics." 

The  College  charter  was  given  by  William  and  Mary,  with 
the  understanding  "that  the  Church  of  Virginia  may  be 
furnished  with  a  seminary  of  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  and 
that  the  youth  may  be  piously  educated  in  good  letters  and 
manners,  and  that  the  Christian  religion  may  be  propagated 
among  the  Western  Indians,  to  the  glory  of  Almighty  God." 
The  College  was  named  in  honor  of  these  reigning  sovereigns, 
and  the  college  colors  are  orange  and  white,  complimentary 
to  the  House  of  Orange,  The  charter  endowed  the  College 
with  "the  whole  and  entire  sum  of  one  thousand,  nine 
hundred  and  eighty-five  pounds  fourteen  shillings  and  ten 
pence,  of  good  and  lawful  money  of  England,  that  has  been 
raised  out  of  the  quit-rents  of  said  colony."  It  was  also  to 
have  a  penny  a  pound  on  all  tobacco  exported  from  Virginia 
or  Maryland.  A  chancellor,  president  or  rector,  and  six 
professors  composed  the  faculty  and  besides  there  was  a 
board  of  eighteen  visitors.  There  was  only  one  condition 
attached  to  this  liberal  charter  and  that  was  that  the  College 
authorities  pay  annually  "to  us  and  to  our  successors  two 
copies  of  Latin  verse  yearly  on  the  fifth  day  of  November  at 
the  House  of  the  Governor  or  Lieutenant-Governor  for  the 
time  being."  The  Virginia  Gazette  contains  numerous  no- 


Somtttuitt  of  l^irgutta  49 

tices  which  testify  that  this  condition  was  fulfilled  to  the 
letter.  A  notice  in  the  November  Gazette  of  1736  states: 
"On  this  day  s'en  night,  being  the  fifth  day  of  November, 
the  president,  masters  and  scholars  of  William  and  Mary 
College  went,  according  to  their  annual  custom,  in  a  body, 
to  present  his  Honor  two  copies  of  Latin  verse  in  obedience 
to  their  charter,  Mr.  President  delivered  the  verses  to  his 
Honor,  and  two  of  the  young  gentlemen  spoke  them." 

The  chapel  in  the  rear  was  built  at  a  later  date,  William 
Byrd  of  Westover  having  the  contract.  Its  walls  are  lined 
with  paintings  of  the  distinguished  men  who  have  here  per- 
fected and  given  their  talents  to  their  Alma  Mater,  and  have 
exerted  a  great  influence  upon  the  history  of  their  country. 
Under  the  College  chapel  are  buried  Eev.  James  Madison, 
D.  D.,  cousin  to  the  president  of  the  United  States,  bishop 
of  the  Episcopal  church,  and  president  of  the  College  for  a 
number  of  years;  Sir  John  Randolph,  and  his  two  illustri- 
ous sons,  John,  attorney  general  of  Virginia  from  1766-75, 
and  Peyton,  president  of  the  first  American  Congress,  and 
a  prominent  memiber  of  the  Virginia  House  of  Burgesses. 
Peyton  Eandolph  was  buried  here  in  1776.  Here  also  is  the 
last  resting  place  of  Lord  Botetourt,  governor  of  Virginia  in 
1768-70.  The  inscription  on  the  monument  which  stands 
on  the  College  campus  shows  how  dearly  he  was  beloved  and 
honored  by  the  Americans.  It  was  erected  in  1774  by  the 
House  of  Burgesses  and  bears  the  following  inscription: 

"The  Right  Honorable  Norborne  Berkeley  Baron  de  Bote- 
tourt, his  Majesty's  late  Lieutenant,  and  Governor-General 
of  the  Colony  and  Dominion  of  Virginia." 


50  (Eolmtial  dapitala  of  % 

(Eight  side)  '"Deeply  impressed  with  the  warmest  sense 
of  gratitude  for  his  Excellency's,  the  Right  Honorable  Lord 
Botetourt's  prudent  and  wise  administration,  and  that  the 
remembrance  of  those  many  public  and  social  virtues  which 
so  eminently  adorned  his  illustrious  character  might  be 
transmitted  to  posterity,  the  General  Assembly  of  Virginia 
on  the  XX  day  of  July  Ann.  Dom.  MDCCLXXI.  resolved 
with  one  united  voice  to  erect  this  stature  to  his  Lordship's 
mjemory.  Let  wisdom  and  justice  preside  in  any  country 
the  people  must  and  will  be  happy." 

(Left  side)  "America,  behold  your  friend,  who,  leaving 
his  native  country,  declined  those  additional  honors  which 
were  there  in  store  for  him,  that  he  might  heal  your  wounds 
and  restore  tranquillity  and  happiness  to  this  extensive  conti- 
nent. With  what  zeal  and  anxiety  he  pursued  these  glorious 
objects,  Virginia  thus  bears  her  grateful  testimony." 

During  the  Civil  War  the  copper  name-plate  Avas  taken 
off  the  coffin  and  carried  away.  It  was  found  in  a  junk  shop 
in  New  York  in  recent  years  and  sent  to  the  president  of 
William  and  Mary  College,  who  placed  it  in  the  curio  case  in 
the  college  library.  Very  shortly  after,  an  old  house  in  the 
town  was  being  repaired  and  inside  the  plaster  was  found  a 
Virginia  Gazette  of  1770  describing  the  funeral  service  which 
was  held  in  Bruton  Church,  and  the  burial  under  the  College 
Chapel. 

After  the  burning  of  the  State  House  at  Jamestown  the 
Burgesses  met  in  the  College  for  four  years,  until  the  Capi- 
tol could  be  built.    The  College  was  burned  three  times, — in 


i^flmwtfltt  of  Htrginia  51 

1705 — 1859 — 1863 — but  each  time  was  restored  on  the  same 
brick  walls. 

William  and  Mary  was  the  first  College  in  America  to 
have  chairs  of  Law,  Political  Economy,  Modern  Languages, 
and  History;  the  first  to  announce  the  elective  and  honor 
systems,  and  to  introduce  class  lectures.  The  Botetourt 
medals  were  the  first  collegiate  medals  awarded.  The  Phi 
Beta  Kappa  Fraternity,  established  here  in  1776,  was  the 
first  Greek  letter  fraternity  in  the  United  States.  The  old 
mjinute  book  of  the  fraternity  and  the  iron  dies  of  the  first 
Botetourt  medal  are  among  the  relics  preserved  in  the  library. 
A  copy  of  the  first  edition  of  Thomson's  "Seasons"— 1726- 
30,  Livy's  "Prentes  in  Vinnice" — 14:98,  some  of  the  early 
magazines  published  in  1763  by  the  Eoyal  Magazine,  or 
Gentlemen's  Monthly  Companion,  comprise  the  oldest  lit- 
erature in  the  College  Library.  Catesby's  Natural  History 
of  the  Carolinas,  Florida  and  the  Bahama  Islands,  printed 
with  colored  plates  in  two  volumes,  in  London,  was  given  by 
Thomas  Jefferson  on  condition  that  it  should  never  go  out 
of  the  library.  There  are  about  10,000  books  altogether, 
many  presented  by  the  royal  governors,  and  embellished  with 
coats-of-arms.  Some  have  l>een  given  by  the  different  presi- 
dents of  the  College. 

Many  distinguished  men  have  had  a  part  in  the  making 
of  this  grand  old  institution.  George  Washington  was  the 
first  chancellor  of  the  College  after  the  Eevolution.  John 
Tyler,  another  President  of  the  United  States,  was  a  stu- 
dent, and  later  chancellor.     James  Monroe  and  Jefferson, 


52  (JloUmial  (EajittalH  of  tlje 

presidents  of  the  United  States,  were  both  students  here, 
and  the  latter  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Visitors.  Chan- 
cellor George  Wythe  was  a  student  and  professor  of  law. 
His  pupils,  Chief  Justice  Marshall  and  Jefferson,  not  only 
reflected  honor  upon  him,  themselves,  and  Virginia,  but  the 
whole  United  States.  Edmund  Eandolph,  secretary,  and 
governor  of  Virginia,  and  Peyton  Eandolph,  the  first  presi- 
dent of  the  Continental  Congress,  were  both  among  its  stu- 
dents. Gen,  Winfield  Scott,  and  a  number  of  eminent  men 
of  letters,  not  only  of  a  later  day,  but  of  the  present  as  well, 
claim  with  love  and  honor  this  historic  and  celebrated  insti- 
tution, for  their  Alma  Mater. 

To  the  left  of  the  main  building  is  the  Brafferton,  now  one 
of  the  College  dormitories  but  formerly  the  first  permanent 
Indian  school  in  Amlerica. 

In  1691  both  William  and  Mary,  and  Harvard  colleges 
fell  heir  to  the  estate  of  Hon.  Eobert  Boyle,  who  died  in 
England.  From  William  and  Mary's  share  of  the  funds 
the  Brafferton  estate  in  Yorkshire,  England,  was  bought 
and  the  rents  used  to  establish  and  support  the  Indian  school, 
which  was  kept  up  until  the  Revolution,  when  the  rents 
ceased. 

This  school  has  been  described  by  a  contemporaneous 
writer*  in  the  following  quaint  style: — "The  Indians  who 
are  upon  Mr.  Boyle's    foundation  have    now  a    handsome 

*Hugh  Jones'  "Present  State  of  Virginia." 


S0mttttfltt  of  Birgmia  53 

apartment  for  themselves  and  their  master,  built  near  the 
College.  The  young  Indians  procured  from  the  tributary  or 
foreign  nations  with  much  difificulty  were  formerly  boarded 
or  lodged  in  the  town,  where  abundance  of  them  used  to 
die,  either  through  sickness,  change  of  provision,  and  way 
of  life;  or,  as  some  ^"ill  have  it  often  for  want  of  proper 
necessaries,  and  due  care  taken  with  them.  Those  of  them 
that  have  escaped  well,  and  have  been  taught  to  read  and 
write,  for  the  most  part  return  to  their  home,  some  with, 
and  some  without,  baptism,  where  they  follow  their  own 
savage  customs  and  heathenish  rites.  A  few  of  them  have 
lived  as  servants  among  the  English,  or  loitered  and  idled 
away  their  time  in  laziness  and  mischief.  But  it  is  a  great 
pity  that  more  care  is  not  taken  of  them  after  they  are  dis- 
missed from  school.  They  have  admirable  capacities  when 
their  humors  and  tempers  are  perfectly  understood." 

A  portrait  of  Mr.  Boyle  hangs  on  the  walls  of  the  College 
library. 

Across  from  the  Brafferton  is  the  president's  home.  It  is  a 
substantial  dwelling  of  old  brick,  adorned  with  a  colonial 
porch  and  a  late  Renaissance  roof.  This  house  was  used  by 
Lord  Cornwallis  for  headquarters  shortly  before  the  York- 
town  campaign.  It  was  built  in  1732,  was  accidently  burned 
by  the  French  on  their  way  to  Yorktown,  and  was  rebuilt 
by  Louis  XVI  out  of  his  private  funds,  thus  being  the  only 
house  in  Virginia,  and  perhaps  in  the  United  States,  buUt 
by  a  reigning  sovereign. 


54  (Hohitttal  (Eapitalfi  of  % 

®i}^  llatr  l^BUBt 

As  we  pass  along  the  colonial  boulevard,  a  long  frame 
structure,  low  and  dilapidated,  arrests  our  attention.  The 
very  sharp  roof  and  dormer  windows  testify  to  the  fact  that 
it  was  built  when  property  was  taxed  according  to  the  num- 
ber of  stories  in  a  building.  This  old  residence  was  formerly 
the  home  of  the  Hon,  John  Blair,  appointed  by  Washington 
judge  of  the  United  States  Supreme  Court. 

It  is  also  said  that  John  Marshall,  the  first  Chief  Justice 
of  the  United  States,  lived  in  the  old  house  for  a  while,  A 
great  many  characteristic  anecdotes  are  told  of  this  most 
famous  of  American  jurists.  It  was  always  his  habit  to  go 
to  market  every  morning,  carrying  his  own  basket,  and  bring- 
ing home  his  own  purchases.  One  day  he  heard  a  very  dapper 
young  man  near  him  swearing  in  extremely  round  terms 
because  he  had  no  one  to  take  home  a  turkey  he  had  just 
bought.  The  Chief  Justice  offered  his  service,  which  was 
promptly  accepted,  and  he  trudged  along  with  the  turkey, 
behind  the  young  man  for  a  num!ber  of  blocks.  The  destina- 
tion reached,  Marshall  refused  the  proffered  piece  of  money 
but  gave  without  the  asking  a  most  practical  lesson  on  false 
pride. 

Another  time  he  was  driving  through  a  woods  road  when 
further  progress  was  impeded  by  a  fallen  tree.  He  simply 
sat  in  his  buggy  until  help  arrived  in  a  young  negro  boy 
who  led  the  horse  around  the  tree  without  any  difficulty. 
Judge  Marshall  promised  to  leave  a  coin  at  the  next  corner 
store  for    the  boy,    who    promptly    remarked  to  the    store 


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gommUitt  of  Itrgmia 55 

keeper  on  its  receipt,  "That  old  man  sho'ly  is  a  gentleman, 
if  he  ain't  got  much  sense." 

Irutnn  QII|urrIf 

Bruton  Church  in  this  ancient  capital  of  Williamsburg, 
is  more  intimately  associated  with  colonial  history  than  any 
other  church  in  Virginia,  and  perhaps  in  America.  It  is 
the  successor  to  the  mother  church  at  Jamestown,  and  its 
historical  and  sacred  associations  should  make  it  dear  to 
the  hearts  of  all  patriotic  Americans. 

Within  its  walls  have  worshipped  five  presidents  of  the 
United  States,  Washington,  Jefferson,  Madison,  Monroe, 
and  Tyler.  Here  on  a  Sabbath  morn  came  the  colonial 
governors  and  members  of  the  House  of  Burgesses,  Wythe, 
Bland,  Lee,  Pendleton,  Mason,  Marshall,  and  a  number  of 
other  "founders  and  defenders  of  the  American  Nation," 
some  of  whose  names  appear  a  number  of  times  as  vestry- 
men and  communicants.  Through  its  historic  portals 
passed  all  the  wealth,  grace,  beauty  and  genius  of  Virginia, 
to  do  honor  to  God  and  themselves. 

The  church  derived  its  name  from  the  parish,  the  latter 
probably  named  in  honor  of  Governor  Berkeley  or  the  Lud- 
wells,  who  were  from  Bruton,  Somerset  county,  England. 

Thomjas  Ludwell,  Esq.,  is  buried  at  the  north  door  of  the 
church,  and  his  epitaph  testifies  to  the  truth  of  this  as  his 
birth-place. 

It  is  the  oldest  Episcopal  church  in  continual  use  in  Amer- 
ica.     The   parish   was   founded   in    1632.     Very    little    is 


56  Colonial  (Hapttala  of  tlf? 

known  of  the  first  church  except  the  fact  that  there  was 
one  before  1665,  and  it  probably  was  a  small  frame  struc- 
ture. 

The  second  church  built  of  brick  was  erected  in  1683. 
The  land  was  given  by  Col.  John  Page,  A  beautiful  memorial 
window  in  the  east  end  of  the  church  was  presented  in  recent 
years  by  some  of  his  descendants.  The  present  building  is 
in  the  form  of  a  Roman  cross  with  a  tower  entrance.  It  is 
built  with  low  walls  of  red  and  blue  glazed  brick,  over  which 
clings  tenderly  the  ivy  of  years.  It  was  designed  by  Gov- 
ernor Alexander  Spotswood  and  finished  in  1715.  His  pew 
was  raised  from  the  floor  slightly,  a  silk  canopy  draped  over 
it,  and  around  the  top  the  Governor's  name  written  in  gold 
letters. 

A  writer  of  that  day  tells  us  that  the  church  was  "adorned 
as  the  best  churches  in  London."* 

There  are  a  number  of  tablets  in  memory  of  departed  men 
of  distinction.  Those  dating  back  to  pre-Revolutionary  days 
are: — a  Mural  Tablet  to  "gp  ^at&^  Sanwl  ^ark?  of  ge 
OInunta  of  ^BBtx  Sfiq.  tel|n  inaa  o«^  nf  Ijta  iHa:""  CHoun- 
stiitrs  nnh  anmrtimiPH  arrr^targ  of  tljr  (Ealting  nf  'Mxx^:^  Ife 
Sirb  B?  Btif  nf  Marrli  Aitnn  Ifira." 

Another  reads: — 

fSt  9  01  (E  SI  3f  9 

^nBcribth  to  tl|r  tnrmorg  of 

ir.  BUtUiam  Qlorkf 

An  Sn^ltal)  pt|gairian.  bom  of  rtpntabit  Parenta 

•Hugh  Jones.     Preseot  State  of  Virginia. 


Somitiuiu  of  Birgitiia  57 

at  S'u&burg  in  Suffolk 
unh  SJiuratpb  at  (^uttna  (HaiitQt,  (EatnbriJigp, 
^t  nraa  Irarttf &  anb  pnlite, 
of  inMsputf J»  fikiU  in  tjia  ptaftsBxan, 
of  unbnunlipb  (i>?nf rnaitg  in  tjia  jirartire : 
tel|irl|  mnltifuJira.  grt  aliop,  ran  t^atitg — 
^t  maa,  mang  grara,  of  lljp  Olnlony 
3ln  ttjp  Slfign  of  i^nttn  Ann  ^  nf  5King  (Sporge. 
I^r  JJifli  ^uiJipnlg.  aitting  a  3nJ»gr  npnu  tl|p  Srnrtf 
of  tlfp  (gf npral  (Eourt  in  ttjp  CEapitol. 

l^ia  ^on :  fmn&  Alex^  ^pnlamn0&.  Saq'.  tt^rn  ^oti^ 

toitlf  ti|e  prinripal  (^mtUmm  of  tljp  (Eountrg. 

att^nftrh  hia  fnnrral. 

ani,  mr^iring.  aam  tl|p  filorpa  Slntrrrrb 

at  ti|e  Wpat  ailip  nf  tlif  Altar 

in  ti|ia  (Eiynrrti." 

A  number  of  people,  including  the  Eev.  Eowland  Jones, 
"Pastor  Primus  and  delectissimus,"  and  "The  Body  of  Mr. 
Orlando  Jones,"  the  son  of  Rev.  Eowland  Jones,  the  first 
pastor  of  the  church  on  record,  are  buried  under  the  chan- 
cel. The  colonial  governors,  Francis  Fauquier  and  Ed- 
mund Jenings,  are  buried  under  the  aisle,  but  no  tablet  or 
monument  to  Fauquier's  memory  remains.  The  fact  was 
established  through  an  old  number  of  the  Virginia  Gazette, 
which  gave  an  account  of  the  funeral  service  and  interment. 
During  the  summer  of  1905,  while  the  work  of  restoration 
was  going  on,  brass  tacks  forming  the  letters  E.  J.  1727 
were  found  on  a  piece  of    coffin  under    the  church.     They 


58  (Holomal  (EaiJttalH  of  % 

were  taken  to  stand  for  Edmund  Jenings,  as  that  was  the 
year  of  his  death.  The  fee  in  1864  for  burial  in  the  chancel 
was  1,000  pounds  of  tobacco,  or  5  pound  sterling;  in  the 
church,  500  pounds  of  tobacco  or  50  shillings  in  money. 

Tradition  says  that  the  baptismal  font  now  in  use  was 
brought  from  the  church  at  Jamestown.  Some  romantic 
spirits,  contrary  to  history  and  Captain  John  Smith,  delight 
in  the  pretty  sentiment  that  the  Indian  maiden  Poca- 
hontas was  baptised  from  it. 

Recently,  wlicn  the  church  windows  were  undergoing  re- 
pairs, the  negTO  sexton  asked  the  rector  if  he  was  not  afraid 
someone  might  break  into  the  church  and  steal  "Miss  Poca- 
hontas' fiiprinkling  pot." 

It  was  ordered  in  1716  "tljat  tJjp  Mtn  sttt  ntt  ti^t  2^nrtl| 
j&'iiit  of  tift  (Eljurrlj,  anb  tlyp  Womtn  an  1I|p  Irft."  Again  in 
171S  the  gallery  in  the  west  end  was  set  apart  "far  iifS  \xbs 
nf  1I|P  QlnllfJjgp  ^outI|,"  and  in  order  to  give  them  plenty  of 
room,  a  door  was  put  to  the  stairs  leading  up  and  provided 
with  a  lock  and  key,  the  latter  carried  by  the  sexton. 

Among  the  relics  of  the  past  which  are  carefully  pre- 
served, is  the  old  Parish  Eegister.  A  large  number  of  pages 
are  torn  from  the  front  and  back  of  the  book.  It  now  con- 
tains the  records  of  births  dating  from  1739  to  1797,  and  of 
deaths  from  1662  to  1761. 

There  are  three  quaint  and  very  handsome  Commun- 
ion Services.  The  oldest  consists  of  three  pieces  with  the 
following  inscription  on  each  piece:    "Mixtnat  l|alg  tl|i«ga 


Snmmiott  of  lirginta  59 

tDttl)  profBMt,  lEx  hano  franrian  Mani»an,  Kvmigtn.  Anno 
Snnti,  IBfil."  It  was  given  to  the  church  at  Jamestown 
by  Francis  Morrison,  who  was  then  acting-governor. 

The  second  service  is  a  handsomely  embellished  two-hand- 
led cup  with  the  cover,  and  a  small  patten.  The  cup  is 
engraved  on  one  side  with  the  Stanton  arms,  was  left  to 
William  and  Mary  College  by  Lady  Gooch,  the  daughter  of 
William  Stanton,  Esq.,  but  is  commonly  known  as  the  Queen 
Anne  Service. 

The  King  George  Service  consists  of  three  pieces,  flagon, 
chalice,  and  alms  basin.  The  Eoyal  Arms  are  engraved 
on  each  piece  between  the  initials  G  III — R.  wilth  the 
motto,  "Honi  soit  qui  mal  y  pense." 

King  Edward  VII  has  recently  given  a  bible  to  the 
church,  which  will  be  presented  when  the  work  of  restora- 
tion has  been  completed. 

In  commemoration  of  the  three  hundredth  anniversary  of 
the  nation's  birth.  President  Roosevelt  has  presented  a  lec- 
tern on  which  the  bible  is  to  rest.  Each  pew  is  to  be  a 
memorial  to  individual  members  of  the  House  of  Burgesses 
and  the  other  eminent  men  associated  with  the  history  of  the 
church  and  the  country. 

From  the  tall  brick  tower  the  faint  peals  of  the  bell  have 
called  us  to  worship  for  nearly  a  century  and  a  half.  On 
it  is  engraved  "(ill|r  gift  of  3amr0  ©arplg  to  Srutou  Partatj, 
irfil."  Notwithstanding  the  inscription  and  date  a  pretty 
story  is  told  of  the  bell.  Once  when  Queen  Anne  with 
her  retinue  was  passing  through  the  streets  of  London,  her 
\ 


60  (jlolotiial  (Hajiitals  of  ti|e 

attention  was  drawn  to  a  crowd  collected  around  a  foundry. 
Upon  asking  what  was  being  cast,  she  was  told  that  it  was 
a  bell  for  one  of  the  churches  in  "Her  Majesty's  Dominion 
of  Virginia."  The  Queen  impulsively  drew  off  her 
bracelets,  rings  and  other  jewelry,  and  threw  them  into  the 
glowing  mlass,  from  which  came  the  bell  Avith  its  silvery 
tones.* 

The  high  brick  wall  around  the  churchyard  was  built  in 
1754  by  Samuel  Spurr  of  Williamsburg.  In  many  parts  it'is 
overgrown  with  ivy.  The  old  trees,  the  tangle  of  wild  rose 
and  honeysuckle,  the  antique  and  quaintly  shaped  tomljstones 
of  a  bygone  generation,  form  a  pleasing  and  lasting  impres- 
sion. Among  the  monuments  many  have  coat-of-arms  en- 
graved and  Latin  inscriptions.  Some  are  interesting  from 
the  quaint  expressions  and  verses  which  give  an  insight  into 
the  lives  of  the  people  of  that  early  day. 

The  fee  to  the  sexton  in  the  early  period  of  the  church's 
history  was  ten  pounds  of  tobacco  for  each  grave-  dug. 

The  Custis  children,  Washington's  step-children,  are  buried 
near  the  north  door  in  the  churchyard.  Near  Thomas  Lud- 
well  "lye  the  bodies  of  Eichard  Kempe,  Esq.,  his  Prede- 
cessor in  ye  Secretary's  Office  and  Sir  Thomas  Lunsford  Kt." 
Eichard  Kempe  was  a  member  of  the  Virginia  Council  in 
1642  at  Jamjestown  and  Secretary  of  the  Colony  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  He  officiated  as  governor  for  three  years 
wliile  Berkeley  was  in  England.     It  was  under  him  that  the 

*As  Queen  Anne  died  in  1714,  th.ia  tradition  shxnild  belong  to  Um 
first  bell. 


BUL'TUN    CIILRCHYARl). 


iomutuin  af  Hirguiia  61 

first  Thanksgiving  Days  in  the  Colony,  of  which  there  is 
any  record,  were  celebrated,  and  during  whose  administra- 
tion it  was  ordered,  "That  the  eighteenth  day  of  April  be 
yearly  celebrated  by  thanksgivings  for  our  deliverance  from 
the  hands  of  the  salvages." 

Sir  Thomas  Lunsford  married  Kempe's  widow. 

Col.  Scammel,  the  highest  officer  in  rank  killed  during  the 
Yorktown  siege,  was  wounded  by  two  Hessian  horsemen 
after  he  had  surrendered.  He  was  brought  to  Williamsburg, 
where  he  died  shortly  after,  and  is  buried  in  the  churchyard. 

His  epitaph  reads: 

"What  tho'  no  friend  could  ward  thine  early  fall 
Nor  guardian  angels   turn   the   treacherous  ball, 
Bless'd  shade  besooth'd  thy  virtues  all  are  known 
Thy  fame  shall  last  beyond  this  mouldering  stone 
Which  conquering  armies  from  their  toils  retum'd. 
Rear  to  thy  glory,  while  thy  fate  they  mourned."* 

In  a  corner  near  the  Confederate  monument,  side  by  side, 
are  the  graves  of  Rev.  Servant  Jones  and  his  first  wife. 
He  was  a  noted  character  of  his  day  and  as  his  epitaph  ex- 
plains, "Like  the  most  of  imperfect  humanity,  he  was  not  ex- 
empt from  some  of  its  frailties,  but  a  kinder  soul  seldom  ex- 
isted. He  possessed  in  his  Nature  a  Bank  of  Benevolence, 
which  secretly  dispensed  its  varied  blessings  to  the  needy, 
and  where  the  needy  never  faltered  to  repay  in  full  confi- 
dence of  affected  relief.  He  was  a  zealous  promoter  of  the 
Baptist  cause  and  many  a  personal  sacrifice  did  he  make  to 
advance  its  interests — 

•Inscription  now  illegible. 


62  dubinal  (Eapitala  of  ttje 

If  enemies  he  had  they  all  \nll,  now  that 

he  is  no  longei-  in  his  place,  do  the 

Justice    to    acknowledge — He    was    more 

sinned  against  than  sinning. — 
Time  wa^  when  his  cheek  with  life's  crimson  was  flushed, 
When  cheerful  his  voice  was,  health  sat  on  his  brow — 
That  cheek  is  now  palsied,  that  voice  is  now  hushed: 
He  sleeps  with  the  dust  of  his  first  partner  now." 

It  is  said  that  once  when  arriving  at  the  home  of  Mr. 
Howl,  a  parishioner,  after  dinner  had  just  been  finished, 
he  originated  the  following  grace: 

"Good  Lord  of  love  look  downa  from  above, 
And  bless  the  'owl  who  ate  this  fowl 
And  left  these  bones  for  Servant  Jones." 

It  is  told,  that  on  the  night  of  his  death,  when  the  light- 
ning was  flashing,  and  thunder  broke  the  awful  stillness 
with  its  crashes,  one  of  the  watchers,  seized  with  a  humor- 
ous impulse,  lifted  the  body  of  Mr.  Jones  and  danced 
through  the  room  with  it,  to  the  horror  and  disma}'  of  the 
others  present. 

He  has  left  a  touching  tribute  to  his  first  wife  in  the 
verses  inscribed  on  her  tombstone.  It  is  said  that  he 
brought  the  slab  to  Williamsburg  on  top  of  the  coach  in  which 
he  and  his  second  wife  sat  as  they  returned  from  their  bridal 
trip.     The  verses  inscribed  read: 

"If  woman  ever  yet  did  well 

If  woman  ever  did  excell. 

If  woman  husband  ere  adored,  .  ^ 

If  woman  ever  loved  the  Lord, 

If  ever  faith  and  Hope  and  Love 
In  human  flesh  did  live  and  move 
If  all  the  graces  ere  did  meet 
In  her,  in  her,   they  were  complete. 


lnmmuitt  of  Hirgmia  63 


My  Ann,  my  all,  my  Angel  wife, 

My  dearest  one  my  love  my  life, 

I  cannot  sigh  or  say  farewell 

But  where  thou  dwellest  I  will  dwell." 


l^ahtt  (Bvun 


The  long  green  at  the  rear  of  the  church  is  another  re- 
minder of  the  days  of  pomp  and  pageant  of  the  royal  gov- 
ernors. ^Vllere  the  old  palace  once  stood  we  now  find  the 
Matthew  Whaley  Model  and  Practice  School  of  William  and 
M:ary  College.  A  stone  monument  presented  by  ]\Irs.  Letitia 
Semple,  of  Wasliington,  also  marks  the  spot. 

Governor  Nott,  who  is  buried  in  Bruton  churchyard,  pro- 
cured through  the  Assembly  an  act  for  building  the  palace 
and  an  appropriation  of  £3,000  for  the  same.  The  building 
is  described  as  having  been  "a.  magnificent  structure  built 
at  the  public  expense,  finished  and  beautified  with  gates,  fine 
gardens,  offices,  walks,  a  fine  canal,  orchards,  etc.,  with  a 
great  number  of  the  best  arms,  nicely  posited  by  the  inge- 
nious contrivance  of  the  most  accomplished  Col.  Spottswood. 
This,  likemse,  has  the  ornamental  addition  of  a  good  cupola 
or  lantern,  illuminating  most  of  the  town  upon  birthnights, 
and  other  nights  of  occasional  rejoicing." 

The  grounds  contained  370  acres  bordered  with  lin- 
dens brought  from  Scotland.  It  was  over  this  beautiful 
green  that  the  belles,  gallants,  and  distinguished  soldiers 
and  statesmen  in  "His  Majesty's  Colony  of  Virginia"  passed 
to  grace  the  balls  and  assemblies  and  to  do  honor  to  the 
colonial  governors. 


64  (Holmtial  (Eapilala  of  tl|p 

The  Virginia  Gazette,  of  November  17th,  1752,  contains 
the  following  notice :  "Friday  last,  being  the  Anniversary 
of  his  Majesty's  Birth  Day,  in  the  Evening  the  whole  City 
was  illuminated.  There  was  a  Ball,  and  a  very  elegant  En- 
tertainment, at  the  Palace,  where  were  present  the  Emperor 
and  Empress  of  the  Cherokees  Nation,  with  their  Son  the 
young  Princ-e,  and  a  brilliant  appearance  of  Ladies  and 
Gentlemen;  several  ?jeautiful  Fireworks  were  exhibited  in 
Palace  Street,  by  Mr.  Hallam,  manager  of  the  Theatre  in 
this  City,  and  the  Evening  concluded  with  every  demonstra- 
tion of  our  Zeal  and  Loyalty." 

Dunmore  was  the  last  loyal  representative  to  live  here,  and 
it  is  said  that  during  the  disturbing  times  preceding  the 
Revolution,  his  palace  was  guarded  by  a  company  of  ne- 
groes and  later  by  a  detachment  of  sailors  and  marines 
from  "his  Majesty's  ship  Fowey." 

The  Palace  was  accidently  burned  by  some  French  troops 
after  the  surrender  at  Yorktown,  eight  years  after  Dun- 
m ore's  flight. 

About  500  feet  back  of  the  Green  is  an  enclosed  mound  of 
earth,  overgrown  with  gnarled  trees.  In  the  center  of  this 
mound  is  a  deep  hole  which  leads  to  an  underground  pas- 
sage. "Dunmore's  Cave,"  as  this  is  called,  extends  under- 
ground to  where  the  Palace  stood.  There  are  several  theo- 
ries as  to  its  original  use,  some  thinking  it  was  used  as  a 


i.i  :x:>iwKh  .^  CA\E. 


Wi 


• -^*  ■->."-■  y*';^r.-7,i<^. 


WYTIIE   HOUSE. 


CUSTIS  HOUSE. 


lommui«  of  Btrgutia  65 

wine  cellar,  others  that  perhaps  the  tricky  governor  kept 
in  it  his  arms  and  ammunition,  or  intended  it  as  a  means 
of  escape  should  he  be  sorely  pressed  in  his  palace. 

On  Palace  street,  near  the  church,  and  to  one  side  of  the 
Green,  is  a  very  old  colonial  residence  of  brick  overrun 
with  ivy  and  Virginia  creeper.  It  was  formerly  the  home 
of  Chancellor  George  Wythe,  a  student  of  William  and  Mary 
College  and  professor  of  law  at  that  institution.  He  was 
one  of  the  comimissioners  to  revise  the  statutes  of  Virginia 
in  1776,  and  a  member  of  the  Virginia  Convention  which 
ratified  the  Federal  Constitution.  He  devised  Virginia's 
seal.  "It  represents  virtue,  the  tutelary  goddess  of  the  Com- 
monwealth, draped  as  an  Amazon,  bearing  in  one  hand  a 
spear  and  in  the  other  a  sword,  trampling  under  foot  ty- 
ranny, symbolized  as  a  prostrate  man,  having  near  him  a 
broken  chain  and  a  scourage,  while  his  crown  has  fallen  from 
his  head.  Above  the  figure  of  Virtue  is  the  word  'Virginia,' 
and  underneath  the  Motto — 'Sic  semper  tyrannis.' " 

This  house  was  used  as  headquarters  by  Washington 
previous  to  the  Yorktown  campaign. 

Miss  Ellen  Glasgow  in  the  "Voice  of  the  People"  made 
the  old  residence  the  home  of  Judge  Bassett,  one  of  the 
principal  characters  of  her  novel. 

Judge  Wythe's  sleeping  room  was  the  large  chamber 
over  the  dining  room.     It  is  said  that  on  the  eighth  of  every 


QQ  (Eulnmal  (Eapttals  of  t\^t 

June  a  cold  white  hand  appears  suddenly  and  presses  the 
brow  of  whoever  occupies  the  room.  On  moonlight  nights 
George  Washington's  ghost  appears  in  the  hall,  and  the 
beautiful  form  of  Mrs.  Skipwith,  formerly  Elizabeth  Byrd 
of  Westover,  can  be  seen  descending  the  broad  stairs. 

S^btnr  0  prison 

Wliat  is  commonly  known  as  the  old  "Debtor's  Prison" 
is  situated  on  the  south  side  of  Duke  of  Gloucester  street, 
and  just  back  of  the  Dirickson  Bank.  It  is  a  small  quaint 
brick  building,  a  story  and  a  half  high.  Though  preserved 
by  the  Association  for  the  Preservation  of  Virginia  Antiqui 
ties,  its  prison  association  is  discredited  by  some.  In  a 
description  of  Williamsburg  during  Spotswood's  time* 
(1710-23)  it  was  said  that  near  the  Capitol  "is  a  strong 
sweet  prison  for  criminals  and  on  the  other  side  of  an  open 
court  another  for  debtor's."  This  would  place  the  "debtor's 
prison"  at  the  other  end  of  the  town. 


fflourt  l|0U0^ 


On  the  next  open  green  stands  the  Courthouse.  It  is 
distinguished  from  the  other  buildings  by  its  long  stone 
columnless  porch,  and  high  belfry,  from  which  rang  out  the 
bell  to  call  the  patriots  together  in  Revolutionary 
times.     This    Hall   of   Justice   was   built   in   1769.     It   is 

*Hugh.  Jones'  "Present  State  of  Virginia." 


COURT  IIOrSE   BUILT   IX    1769. 


iumtttuin  0f  Birgmta  67 

commonly  supposed  that  Sir  Christopher  Wren  was  the  archi- 
tect of  this  building  as  well  as  the  college.  As  this  famous 
man  died  in  February  1723,  the  writer  prefers  to  give  the 
honor  to  a  later  day  artist  for  fear  that  its  past  might  appear 
a  trifle  too  shadowy.  Eegardless  of  who  its  architect  was, 
we  value  it  for  its  age  and  associations,  and  it  is  a  fitting 
monument  to  remind  us  of  the  famous  jurists  and  states- 
men whose  words  and  influence  have  been  felt  through  more 
than  a  century  and  a  quarter. 

Across  the  street  from  the  Courthouse,  there  is  a  building 
familiar  to  every  antiquarian  and  student,  as  it  is  one  of  the 
landmarks  of  colonial  history. 

This  quaint  and  antique  structure  is  known  as  the  Pow- 
der Horn,  from  its  use  and  octagonal  shape. 

It  was  built  by  act  of  the  House  of  Burgesses  in  1714, 
in  the  reign  of  George  I,  and  during  the  administration  of 
Governor  Alexander  Spotswood,  who  did  so  much  for  Vir- 
ginia. It  is  said  he  drew  the  plans  for  its  construction  with 
the  idea  in  view  of  an  armory  and  powder  magazine.  Its 
massive  walls  have  a  thickness  of  22  inches.  Surrounding 
it  originally  was  a  wall  from  10  to  12  feet  high,  running  par- 
allel to  the  sides  at  a  distance  of  21  feet. 

The  events  following  the  battle  of  Lexington,  in  which  the 
Powder  Horn  figures  very  prominently,  and  which  started 
rolling  in  Virginia  the  ball  of  Independence,  originated  to 


68  (Unlomal  (Eapitala  of  tljr 

a  great  extent  in  the  eloquence  and  acts  of  Patrick  Henry, 
Pendleton,  Washington,  and  their  contemporaries.  Of 
these  guiding  spirits  and  members  of  the  first  American 
Congress,  Lord  Chatham  said,  "It  is  doubtful  if  in  the  his- 
tory of  mankind  any  body  of  men  equal  to  these  has  ever 
existed." 

A  few  months  prior  to  the  beginning  of  hostilities  in  Vir- 
ginia, Lord  Dunmore,  then  governor,  very  slyly  had  re- 
moved from  the  magazine,  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  about 
twenty  barrels  of  gunpowder  belonging  to  the  colony.  It 
was  carried  to  the  schooner  "Magdalen,"  anchored  at  Bur- 
well's  Ferry  in  James  river,  four  miles  from  the  capital. 

When  its  removal  was  discovered  the  next  day,  the  citizens 
were  exceedingly  alarmed  and  indignant.  A  message  from 
the  mayor,  aldermen  and  council  was  addressed  to  the 
governor,  telling  him,  in  very  strong  language,  their  views 
of  the  matter.  The  governor's  verbal  answer  was:  "Hearing 
of  an  insurrection  in  a  neighboring  county,  I  have  re- 
moved the  powder  from  the  magazine,  where  I  do  not  think 
it  secure,  to  a  place  of  perfect  security,  and  upon  my  word  and 
honour,  whenever  it  is  wanted  on  an  insurrection,  it  shall 
be  delivered  in  half  an  hour;  and  I  have  removed  it  in  the 
night  time  to  prevent  any  alarm." 

However,  the  incident  caused  the  greatest  excite- 
ment and  alarm  throughout  the  colony.  A  company  of 
more  than  60  minutemen  in  Fredericksburg  prepared  to 
march  to  Williamsburg,  but  were  dissuaded  by  Washington 
and  Pendleton,    who  urged  them    to  wait  for  Congress  to 


iommum  of  Tlirgmta  69 

decide  the  matter.  They  nevertheless  signed  a  paper, 
pledging  themselves  to  defend  "Virginia  or  any  sister  Col- 
ony/' and  closed  with  the  words,  "God  save  the  liberties  of 
America." 

In  the  meanwhile,  the  patriotic  and  impetuous  Patrick 
Henry,  with  150  men,  was  making  rapid  marches  from 
Hanover  Courthouse  to  the  capital  and  acquiring  startling 
additions  to  his  small  army  on  the  way. 

At  the  same  time  a  detachment  of  sailors  and  marines 
from  the  British  ship  "Fowey"  had  arrived  to  guard  the 
Crovemor's  person,  and  a  letter  from  the  commander  of  the 
gun-boat  to  the  president  of  the  council,  threatening  to  fire 
upon  the  town  should  the  governor  be  molested  or  attacked. 

Immediate  bloodshed  was  prevented  by  the  arbitration  of 
Colonel  Carter  Braxton.  Dunmore  paid  to  Henry  330  pounds 
sterling  for  the  powder.  The  latter,  giving  a  receipt  bind- 
ing himself  to  turn  it  over  to  the  Virginia  delegates  in  Con- 
gress, went  back  to  Hanover  in  peace. 

Very  shortly  after,  some  of  the  citizens  of  Williamsburg 
broke  open  the  door  of  the  magazine  to  examine  its  condition 
and  get  any  arms  or  powder  that  mjight  remain.  Several 
barrels  of  powder  buried  under  the  floor  seemed  antagonistic 
to  the  "word  and  honour"  of  the  governor,  and  the  wounding 
of  a  young  fellow  by  a  concealed  spring  gun  caused  such  a 
threatening  demonstration  that  the  wily  Dunmore  made 
hasty  leave-taking  and  sought  protection  on  board  the  man- 
of-war  "Fowey,"  anchored  at  Yorktown.  He  very  thought- 
fully notified    the  Burgesses    that  he  would    discharge  his 


70  (Enlottial  (Eapttals  of  tljf 

functions  as  governor  from  his  floating  palace,  but  affairs 
seemed  to  run  just  as  peacefully  with  the  famous  Committee 
of  Safety  at  the  helm  of  the  Ship  of  State. 

He  then  tactfully  turned  his  "olive-branch"  into  a  fire- 
arm and  began  his  series  of  depredations  along  the  coast. 

Since  those  stirring  events  of  the  shadowy  past,  the  old 
Powder  Horn  has  had  a  varied  experience.  For  a  number 
of  years  it  rang  with  the  fire  and  eloquence  of  the  good  old 
Baptist  parson,  Eev.  Servant  Jones.  When  the  good  peo- 
ple moved  out,  it  was  kept  joyous  with  the  laughter  and 
merriment  of  those  who  trod  through  the  giddy  maze  of 
the  waltz  during  its  two  years'  service  as  a  dancing  school. 
It  once  more  resumed  its  original  use  in  1861  when  under 
the  Confederates  it  was  again  an  arsenal.  After  the  war 
it  was  sold  by  the  town  it  had  guarded  so  faithfully.  Mor- 
tifying to  relate,  it  became  a  stable.  It  was  finally  pur- 
chased by  the  Association  for  the  Preservation  of  Virginia  An- 
tiquities, and,  as  a  museum,  recalls  to  the  considerate  visitor 
only  those  noble  and  inspiring  memories  of  which  it  can 
never  again  be  robbed. 


Snrk  Ifctel 


This  old  building,  facing  Duke  of  Gloucester  street,  was 
used  as  the  District  Courthouse  during  the  Civil  War,  and 
in  ante-bellum  days  its  ground  floor  served  as  a  prison. 
In  the  space  between  it  and  the  Powder  Horn,  there  stood, 
until  the  last  year  or  two,  an  old  brick  chimney,  all  that  was 


iommixin  of  Utrgtma ^ 

left  of  the  first  Temple  of  Justice  in  Williamsburg.  In 
1706,  permission  was  given  the  people  of  "James  Citty'' 
county  by  the  General  Assembly  to  build  the  county  court- 
house from  the  remaining  brick  ruins  of  the  State  House 
at  Jamestown ;  so  when  the  old  brick  chimney  was  taken  down, 
the  link  connecting  the  State  House  to  Williamsburg  was 
broken,  and  only  the  vacant  lot  remains  to  show  the  spot 
on  which  it  stood. 

lapttat  Oltjurrlj 

The  high  wall  which  formerly  guarded  the  powder  maga- 
zine was  used  by  the  Eev.  Servant  Jones  for  the  foundation 
of  the  Baptist  Church  of  Doric  architecture,  which  is  near. 
It  was  built  in  1856  on  this  historic  foundation. 

There  are  several  quaint  houses  on  both  sides  of  Duke  of 
Gloucester  street,  which  belong  to  the  pre-Eevolutionary  pe- 
riod. Among  them  is  a  little  low  white  cottage  with  a 
sloping  roof  and  dormer  windows.  It  is  said  that  a  little 
woman  well  known  for  her  piety  lived  here.  Nevertheless, 
when  Colonel  Tarleton  and  his  raiders  marched  through  the 
town,  she  stood  at  her  door  and  cursed  them  until  they  were 
out  of  sight. 


Parabt00  Ifnua^ 


Across  the  street,  an  old  house  of  dark  blue  and  red  glazed 
bricks  brings  to  mind  the  celebrated  Mrs.   Paradise,   who 


72  Qlolflmal  dapttala  of  tlj? 

in  London  entertained  the  Literary  Club  of  Johnson,  Gold- 
smith, and  Sir  Joshua  Eeynolds.  She  is  mentioned  several 
times  in  Boswell's  "Life  of  Johnson/'  'Tis  said  that  at  an 
assembly  in  Williamsburg  she  met  General  Washington  for  the 
first  time.  She  was  so  much  impressed  by  his  distinguished 
appearance  and  physique,  that  on  returning  home  she  beat 
her  own  husband  because  he  was  small  and  ugly.  Her 
grandson,  an  Italian  prince,  was  extremely  impressed  with 
the  beauty  of  the  women  in  the  colonial  capital,  and  ex- 
claimed to  his  interpreter,  "How  can  such  angels  live  in  such 
hovels  ?" 


At  the  east  end  of  the  street  is  a  large  gray  brick  resi- 
dence known  as  the  "Vest  House."  Here  Lafayette's  officers 
were  quartered  as  they  halted  on  their  way  to  Yorktown. 


Across  from  this,  a  small  stuccoed  yellow  house  with  slant- 
ing roof  and  dormer  windows  is  noticed.  It  was  the  old 
Chancery,  or  Clerk's  Office,  and  is  the  only  one  of  the  govern- 
ment buildings  remaining. 


lassrft  ij^nll 


This  colonial  mansion  is  distinguished  from  the  other  old 
homes  by  the  beautiful  old-fashioned  gardens  surrounding 
it.    The  first  alanthus  trees  in  America  were  planted  in  these 


gardens. 


It  was  formerly  the  home  of  Judge  Bassett,  celebrated  for 
his  hospitality.     Washington  was   a  frequent  guest  at  liis 


BASSBTT  HALL. 


i9omtttuin  of  Hirgtnia  73 

home.  It  is  said  that  while  Thomas  Moore,  the  Irish  poet, 
was  sitting  on  the  piazza  at  dusk,  he  saw  the  flittering  light 
of  the  fireflies  for  the  first  time,  and  penned  the  lines: 

TO  THE  FIREFLY. 
At  morning  when  the   earth   and   sky 
Are  glowing  with  the  light  of  spring, 
We   see  thee  not,  thou  humble  fly! 
Nor  think  upon  thy  gleaming  wing. 

But  when  the  skies  have  lost  their  hue. 

And  sunny  lights  no  longer  play, 
Oh  then  we  see  and  bless  thee  too 
For  sparkling  o'er  the  dreary  way. 

Thus  let  me  hope,  when  lost  to  me 
The  lights  that  now  my  life  illume. 

Some  milder  joys  may  come,  like  thee, 
To  cheer,  if  not  to  warm,  the  gloom! 

This  place  was  once  the  home  of  John  Tyler,  president 
of  the  United  States  in  1841. 


The  frame  house  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Nicholson  and 
England  streets  has  the  distinction  of  being  the  dwelling 
in  which  Lafayette  was  entertained  during  his  visit  to 
America  after  the  Eevolution.  His  host  was  Dr.  Peachey, 
some  of  whose  descendants  are  still  living  in  Williamsburg. 
A  very  elegant  dinner  and  ball  were  given  at  the  Ealeigh 
Tavern  by  the  citizens  of  Williamsburg  in  honor  of  their 
distinguished  guest. 


IJalnglj  ©ah^rn 


The  site*  of  the  old  Ealeigh  Tavern  brings  back  many 
memories  "that  haunt  Thoughts'  wilderness."     This  famous 

*Where  Lane's   store  stands. 


74  Cfliiliitttal  CEapttals  of  t\)t 

inn  was  a  large  frame  building  of  two  stories  with  dormer 
windows,  according  to  the  prevailing  style  of  architecture. 
A  metal  bust  of  Sir  Walter  Ealeigh  stood  on  a  little  portico 
over  the  door.  The  pedestal  on  which  it  rested  is  one  of  the 
curios  in  the  museum  of  the  Powder  Horn. 

This  old  hostelry  has  witnessed  many  scenes  of  brilliant 
festivity  and  gayety.  The  Virginia  Gazette  contains 
numerous  notices  of  entertaiaments  and  dinners.  An 
October  paper  of  1768  gives  a  lengthy  description  of  the 
arrival  of  the  Eoyal  Governor  Botetourt,  and  his  supping 
at  the  Tavern  with  his  Council.  Another  paper,  dated 
October  5th,  1768,  gives  the  following  quaint  notice  of  a 
dinner: — "Yesterday,  Peyton  Randolph  Esq.,  our  worthy 
representative,  gave  a  genteel  dinner  at  the  Ealeigh  Tavern, 
to  the  electors  of  this  city,  after  which  many  loyal  and 
patriotic  toasts  were  drank,  and  the  afternoon  spent  with 
cheerfulness  and  decorum."  It  was  during  a  ball  at  the 
Tavern  that  the  future  author  of  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence was  rejected  by  the  lovely  Eebecca  Burwell. 

The  famous  Apollo  Eoom  was  not  only  the  scene  of 
revelry  and  mirth,  but  measures  which  have  gone  far  towards 
protecting  the  liberties  of  America  had  their  origin  in  the 
brains  of  the  greatest  men  of  the  Eevolutionary  epoch, 
assembled  in  that  historic  room. 

It  was  here  in  1769,  after  the  dissolving  of  the  General 
Assembly  by  Lord  Botetourt,  that  the  members  assembled 
and  the  famous  Virginia  "Kon-Importation  Agreement" 
was  presented  to  the  Burgesses  by  George  Washington  and 


RUIXS    OF   THE    HOUSE    OF    BURGESSES. 


Sommum  nf  Utrgmta  75 

drawn  up  by  George  Mason.  Mounted  men  rode  north, 
south,  east,  and  west  with  copies  of  the  Eesolves,  and 
ever3rwhere  the  people  endorsed  and  signed  them. 

It  was  in  this  Tavern  that  they  met  after  being  dissolved 
in  1774  by  Dunmore.  The  first  of  June  had  been  appointed 
as  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer  by  the  Burgesses.  The  Gov- 
ernor disapproved  and  promptly  dissolved  the  House,  where- 
upon they  met  in  the  Ealeigh  Tavern  and  took  steps  to- 
wards a  general  Congress.  This  celebrated  house  was 
burned  in  1859. 

The  devastating  touch  of  time  has  left  only  the  founda- 
tions to  mark  the  site  of  the  first  colonial  capitol  which  took 
the  place  of  the  State  House  at  Jamestown.  A  stone  monu- 
ment erected  by  the  Washington  Branch  of  the  Association 
for  the  Preservation  of  Virginia  Antiquities,  on  May  26, 
1904,  bears  the  names  of  prominent  men  in  its  history.  To 
the  people  of  the  grand  old  Commonwealth  no  memorial  is 
necessary  to  perpetuate  the  deeds  and  splendid  courage  of 
their  forefathers,  for  they  shall  endure  throughout  the 
ages  in  the  minds  and  hearts  of  all  loyal  Americans. 

The  site  of  this  old  House  of  Burgesses  is  directly  oppo- 
site the  College  at  the  other  end  of  the  town. 

It  was  "built  at  the  cost  of  the  late  queen  (Anne)  by  the 
direction  of  the  Governor,"  says  an  early  writer,  and  he 
adds,  "It  is  a  noble,  beautiful  and  commodious  pile;  in  fact 


76  €ol0mal  (Ejqjitala  of  tljr 

it  is  the  best  and  most  commodious  pile  of  its  kind  that  I 
have  ever  seen  or  heard  of." 

For  a  number  of  years  the  use  of  fires,  candles  and  tobacco 
was  prohibited,  probably  on  account  of  the  frequent  burn- 
ings of  the  State  House  and  the  College.  Notwithstanding 
these  precautions  it  was  burned  in  1746,  rebuilt,  and  burned 
again  in  1832,  but  as  the  seat  of  government  had  been  moved 
to  Richmond  in  1780  the  old  Capitol's  days  of  glory  and 
usefulness  had  passed  away  and  it  never  again  rose  from 
its  ashes. 

The  old  Speaker's  chair  and  stove  are  still  preserved  in 
the  State  Capitol  at  Eichmond.  Both  are  of  very  quaint 
design  and  carving. 

It  was  in  this  old  House  of  Burgesses  that  George  Wash- 
ington made  his  debut.  After  his  heroic  passage  across  the 
Delaware  and  through  the  wilderness,  prior  to  the  beginning 
of  hostilities  in  the  French  and  Indian  War,  he  gave  the 
message  from  St.  Pierre  to  the  Speaker  of  the  House  who 
expressed  his  admiration  for  liis  young  countryman  of 
twenty-one.  Washington,  blushing  like  a  school  girl,  arose 
to  make  his  maiden  attempt,  but  had  only  stammered  out  a 
few  sentences  when  he  was  interrupted  by  the  Speaker,  who 
cried  out,  "Sit  down!  Sit  down,  sir!  Your  modesty  is 
equal  to  your  valor,  and  that  surpasses  the  power  of  any 
language  that  I  possess."  Only  four  years  after  the  Brad- 
dock  War  Washington  married  the  beautiful  and  wealthy 
young  widow  Martha  Custis,  whom  he  had  met  in  the 
colonial  capital.     It  was  later,    when   honor    and    fame  had 


Sflmttttfln  of  Btrgmta  77 

crowned  his  brow,  marching  through  the  town  at  the  head 
of  his  army  on  the  way  from  Yorktown,  that  he  caught  a 
glimpse  of  the  sweet  face  of  Mrs.  Edward  Ambler,  formerly 
Mary  Gary,  his  youthful  sweetheart.  She  was  looking  at 
the  great  general  from  a  window  in  the  capitol  building 
and  as  he  waved  his  handkerchief  in  greeting  she  fell  back 
in  a  faint.  She  was  said  to  have  been  very  much  like  Mrs. 
Custis,  Mrs.  Ambler  was  a  sister  to  Mrs.  George  Fairfax, 
and  it  was  at  the  latter's  beautiful  country  home  "Belvoir'^ 
on  the  Potomac  that  the  young  surveyor  became  conscious 
for  the  first  time  in  his  stripling  years  of  the  charm  and 
loveliness  of  this  young  girl.  A  letter  written  by  him  at  the 
age  of  sixteen  tells  what  an  impression  was  made  on  his 
heart  from  the  outset  of  their  acquaintance.  It  was  written 
from  "Belvoir"  to  another  sweetheart,  and  reads : — 

"Dear  Sally: — This  comes  to  Fredericksburg  fair  in 
hopes  of  meeting  with  a  speedy  passage  to  you  if  you're  not 
there,  which  I  hope  you'l  get  shortly,  altho  I  am  almost 
discouraged  from  writing  to  you,  as  this  is  my  fourth  to 
you  since  I  received  any  from  yourself.  I  hope  you'll  not 
make  the  old  proverb  good,  out  of  sight  out  of  mind,  as  it 
is  one  of  the  greatest  pleasures  I  can  yet  forsee  of  having 
in  Fairfax,  in  often  hearing  from  you,  hope  you'l  not  deny 
me. 

I  pass  the  tim|e  much  more  agreeably  than  I  imagined 
I  should,  as  there^s  a  very  agreeable  young  lady  lives  in  the 
same  house  where  I  reside  (Colonel  George  Fairfax's  wife's 
sister),  that  in  a  great  measure  cheats  my  sorrow  and  de- 
jectedness,  tho  not  so  as  to  draw  my  thoughts  altogether 


(EoUintal  (Eapitalfi  nf  tlj? 


from  your  parts.  I  could  wish  to  be  with  you  down  there 
with  all  my  heart  but  as  a  thing  most  impracticable  shall 
rest  myself  where  I  am  with  hopes  of  shortly  having  some 
minutes  of  your  transactions  in  your  parts  which  will  be 
very  welcomely  received  by  your  Geo.  W." 

An  old  letter  describing  Washington's  mother,  "the  rose 
of  Epping  Forest"  in  her  lovely  girlhood,  and  dated  "W'ms- 
burg,  ye  7th  of  Oct.,  1722,"  reads,  "Dear  Sulcey: — Madame 
Ball  of  Lancaster,  and  her  Sweet  Molly  have  gone  Hom. 
Mamma  thinks  Molly  the  Comliest  Maiden  She  know.  She 
is  about  16  yrs.  old,  is  taller  than  Me,  is  very  sensible.  Modest 
and  Loving.  Her  Hair  is  like  unto  flax.  Her  eyes  are 
the  color  of  yours  and  her  Cheeks  are  like  May  blossoms. 
I  wish  you  could  See  Her." 

It  was  while  Greorge  Fairfax  was  a  member  of  the  Assem- 
bly in  1748  that  he  wooed  and  won  Mss  Sarah  Gary.  A 
letter  addressed  to  his  cousin  Lord  Thomas  Fairfax,  an- 
nounces the  event  very  briefly: — "Dear  Gousin  Tom,  While 
attending  at  the  General  Assembly  I  have  had  several  oppor- 
tunities of  visiting  Miss  Garey,  and  finding  her  an  amiable 
person,  and  to  represent  all  the  favorable  reports,  made  of 
her,  I  addressed  myself  and  having  obtained  the  young  lady's 
and  the  parents'  consent  we  are  to  be  married  on  the  17th 
inst."  It  was  with  George  Fairfax  that  George  Washington 
surveyed. 

Here  in  the  old  House  of  Burgesses  the  Gommittee  of 
Gorrespondence  originated  under  the  leadership  of  the 
illustrious  patriot  Dabney  Garr;  here  the  famous  Gommittee 


Mag..-Ti 

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HOME    OF    SARAH    AKD   MARY    CAKY. 


iommifltt  of  Uirswta  79 

of  Safety  was  organized  about  which  Eichard  Lee,  in  a 
letter  to  Washington,  humorously  writes,  "I  am  sorry  to 
grate  your  ears  with  the  truth,  but  must  at  all  events 
assure  you  that  the  Provincial  Congrefs  of  New  York  are 
angels  of  decifion  when  compared  with  your  country-men, 
the  Committee  of  Safety,  afsembled  at  W'msburg.  Page, 
Lee,  Mercer,  and  Payne,  are  indeed  exceptions,  but  from 
Pendleton,  Bland,  the  Treasurer  &  Company,  libera  nos 
Domdne." 

The  first  formal  opposition  to  the  Stamp  Act  came  from 
Patrick  Henry.  The  room  was  crowded  with  the  Burgesses 
dressed  in  their  bright-colored  silks  and  satins,  dainty 
ruffled  shirts,  knee-breeches  with  silver  buckles,  and  hair 
nicely  powdered  and  tied  with  ribbon.  What  a  contrast  to 
"that  lazy  young  rascal  Patrick  Henry"  as  he  stood  up  in 
his  coarse  clothes,  yarn  stockings  and  unpowdered  hair.  The 
members  began  to  laugh.  Then  that  slouching  figure 
straightened,  his  eyes  grew  bright,  and  with  a  voice  as  sweet 
as  music,  he  made  his  famous  speech  against  tyranny.  The 
old  room  rang  with  the  burning  words,  "Csesar  had  his 
Brutus,   Charles  the   First  his   Cromwell,   and   George  the 

Third '"  Cries  of  "Treason !  Treason !"  interrupted  him, 

but  fijxing  his  eyes  upon  the  Speaker  of  the  House  he  con- 
tinued, "and  George  the  Third  may  profit  by  their  example. 
If  this  be  treason,  make  the  most  of  it." 

The  members  adjourned  in  great  excitemient.  A  man  in 
the  crowd  clapped  Henry  on  the  shoulder  as  they  pushed 
out  and  said  "Stick  to  it,  old  fellow,  or  we  are  lost."    The 


80  (Eulnntal  (EaptlalB  of  tl)t 

advice  was  heeded,  and  the  future  governor  of  Virginia  lived 
to  thrill  many  an  audience  with  the  sway  of  his  voice  and 
the  logic  of  his  thought.  So  highly  esteemed  and  loved  did 
he  become,  that  twenty-four  years  later,  an  old  and  feeble 
man,  as  he  fell  exhausted  into  the  arms  of  his  friends  at 
the  conclusion  of  his  celebrated  speech  against  forming  the 
Union,  one  of  the  audience  exclaimed.  "The  sun  has  set  in 
all  his  glory."  Another,  writing  of  his  last  days,  has  well 
said,  "The  power  of  the  noon-day  sun  was  gone;  but  its 
setting  splendors  were  not  less  beautiful  and  touching." 

As  "young  Jonny  Eandolph"  stepped  up  on  the  platform 
to  take  the  place  of  one  recognized  as  America's  greatest 
orator,  an  old  man  exclaimed,  "Tut !  Tut !  it  won't  do  !  It's 
like  the  beating  of  an  old  tin  pan  after  a  fine  church  organ." 
Perhaps  if  the  old  man  lived  long  enough,  he  found  out 
that  the  "old  tin  pan"  became  celebrated  too. 

In  this  old  Capitol  on  May  the  loth,  1776,  just  one  hundred 
years  after  that  fi.rst  strike  for  freedom  by  Bacon  at  James- 
town, resolutions  were  presented,  prepared  by  Ednxund 
Pendleton,  declaring  the  colony  free  and  independent,  and 
instructing  the  delegates  in  Congress  to  propose  the  same 
thing  in.  that  body.  The  resolutions  were  passed  and  read  to 
the  troops  assembled  at  Williamsburg. 

It  was  here  that  the  famous  Virginia  Eesolves,  embody- 
ing the  principle,  "No  taxation  without  representation," 
paved  the  way  for  the  Bill  of  Rights,  drawn  up  by  George 
Mason  on  June  15,  1776,  the  Constitution  of  Virginia,  and 
eventually  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  embodying  the 


Snmutuitt  of  Birgutia  81 

same  thought  in  the  step  toward  freedom,  that  step  which 
has  been  so  far  reaching  upon  the  destiny  of  America. 

Of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  it  has  been  said, 
"From  beginning  to  end  it  was  the  work  of  Virginia — A 
Virginia  planter  (Mason)  conceived  it;  a  Virginia  lawyer 
(Jefferson)  drafted  it;  and  a  Virginia  soldier  (George 
Washington)  defended  it  and  made  it  a  living  reality."  It 
might  be  added  that  the  courageous  and  noble  patriot  sol- 
diers who  maintained  it  by  their  life's  blood  and  the 
strength  of  American  arms,  gave  to  the  whole  world  the 
principles  of  self-government;  "All  men  are  created  equal. 
Life,  Liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness  are  inalienable 
rights.  Government  derives  its  Just  power  from  the  con- 
sent of  the  governed.  The  right  of  the  people  it  is  to  abolish 
or  alter  any  form  of  government  destructive  of  their  rights, 
safety,  and  happiness.'* 


Bxtt  0f  iHlitnttt 


On  the  southeast  comer  of  Blair  Avenue,  to  one  side  of 
the  Capitol  ruins,  is  the  site  of  the  first  theatre  in  America, 
built  in  1716.  The  early  numbers  of  the  Virginia  Gazette 
contain  numerous  notices  of  plays  to  be  rendered.  The 
Gazette  of  August  21,  1752,  bears  the  notice,  "We  are 
desired  to  inform  the  Public,  That  as  the  Company  of 
Comedians,  lately  from  London,  have  obtain'd  his  Honour 
the  Governor's  Permission,  and  have  with  great  Expense, 
entirely  altered  the  Play  House  at  Williamsburg  to  a  regular 
Theatre,  fit  for  the  reception  of  Ladies  and  Gentlemen,  and 
2 


82  ©olnmal  OltqatlalH  of  i\^ 

the  Execution  of  their  own  rerformauces,  they  intend  to 
open  on  the  first  Friday  in  September  next,  with  a  Play 
called  The  Merchant  of  Venice  (written  by  Shakespeare) 
and  a  Farce,  call'd  The  Anatomist,  or  Sham  Doctor,  The 
Ladies  are  desired  to  give  timely  Notice  to  Mr.  Hallami,  at 
Mr.  Fisher's  for  their  Places  in  the  Boxes,  and  on  the  Day 
of  Performance  to  send  the  Servants  early  to  keep  them,  in 
order  to  prevent  Trouble  and  Dissappointment." 

Another  time  appeared,  "The  Emperor  of  the  Cherokee 
Nation  with  his  Empress  and  their  Son,  the  young  Prince, 
attended  by  several  of  his  Warriors  and  great  Men  and  their 
Ladies,  were  received  at  the  Palace  by  his  Honour  the  Gov- 
ernor, attended  by  such  of  the  Council  as  were  in  Town  and 
several  other  Gentlemen,  on  Thursday,  the  9th  Instant,  with 
the  Marks  of  Civility  and  Friendship,  and  were  that  even- 
ing entertained  at  the  Theatre,  with  the  Play  (The  Tragedy 
of  Othello)  and  a  Pantomime  Performance,  which  gave  them 
great  Surprise  as  did  the  fighting  with  naked  Swords  on  the 
Stage,  which  occasioned  the  Empress  to  order  some  about 
her  to  go  and  prevent  their  killing  one  another." 

This  London  Company  of  Comedians  which  appeared  in 
Williamsburg  in  1752  was  the  first  regular  company  of 
players  to  come  to  America.  Lewis  Hallam,  Sr.,  was  the 
manager.  His  small  son  of  twelve  made  here  his  debut, 
which  amounted  to  a  burst  of  tears  as  he  rushed  off  the 
stage,  so  frightened  that  he  could  not  say  his  few  lines. 

In  1771  they  reappeared  under  a  new  name.  The  youthful 
actor  was  at  his  best.     His  beautiful  cousin  Sarah  Hallam 


iommton  of  Hirgutta  83 

took  the  leading  parts.  With  a  face  "like  unto  Cytherea's/' 
and  the  "form  of  Diana/'  she  charmed  her  distinguished 
audiences  night  after  night.  The  diary  of  Washington 
proves  that  he  was  a  very  frequent  attendant;,  and  an  old 
letter  of  another  admirer  of  the  drama  states  that  after 
going  to  the  play  for  eleven  consecutive  nights.  Miss  Hallam 
was  '^superfine." 

Mr.  Peter  Pelham,  "Organist  of  the  Church  in  the  City 
of  Williamsburg/'  rendered  the  musical  accompaniments. 

This  lovely  actress  lived  in  Williamsburg  for  many  years 
and  had  a  fashionable  dancing  and  boarding  school  for  young 
ladies.  Her  advertisement  in  the  Gazette  of  August  18, 
1775,  reads,  "The  Subscriber  begs  leave  to  acquaint  the  ladies 
and  gentlemen  that  on  Friday  next,  at  Mr.  Blovet  Pasteur's, 
in  this  city,  she  intends  to  open  a  Dancing  School,  and  hopes 
to  be  favored  with  the  instruction  of  their  daughters  in  that 
genteel  accomplishment.  As  she  is  resolved  to  spare  no 
pains  with  her  scholars,  she  does  not  doubt  of  being  able 
to  give  entire  satisfaction.  The  days  for  teaching  are  frida/s 
and  Saturday's,  every  week;  and  her  price  is  20  s.  at  en- 
trance, and  4  £  a  year. 

Sarah  Hallam." 

Peyton  Eandolph,  the  first  president  of  the  Continental 
Congress,  spent  most  of  his  life  in  Williamsburg,  and,  as 
previously  stated   is  buried  under  the  college  chapel.   A  long 


84  (Enluuial  (Ea^iUalfi  of  tlye 

Trhite  house  on  Francis  street  still  bears  the  plate — "Home 
of  Peyton  Randolph  Attorney-General  of  Virginia,  Speaker 
of  the  House  of  Burgesses,  First  President  of  the  Continen- 
tal Congress,  Born  1722,  Died  1775/' 

This  old  colonial  residence  at  the  south  end  of  England 
street  was  formerly  the  home  of  Sir  John  Eandolph  and  his 
nephew,  Edmund  Eandolph.  The  house  is  colonial  in  de- 
sign. The  interior  is  beautifully  finished  with  hand-carved 
wainscoting  of  mahogany,  and  the  spacious  halls  and  rooms 
are  delightfully  inviting.  Edmund  Randolph  was  educated 
at  William  and  Mary  College.  This  distinguished  states- 
man was  Virginia's  first  attorney-general  after  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  later  her  governor,  and  secretary  of  state.  He 
was  married  in  1776,  and  the  Virginia  Gazette  of  that  date 
gives  the  quaint  announcement — "Edmund  Randolph  Esq. 
Attorney-General  of  Virginia,  to  Miss  Betsey  Nicholas,  a 
young  lady  whose  amiable  sweetness  of  disposition,  joined 
with  the  finest  intellectual  accomplishments,  cannot  fail  of 
rendering  the  worthy  man  of  her  choice  completely  happy. 

Fain  would  the  aspiring  muse  attempt  to  sing, 
The  virtues  of  this  amiable  pair, 
But  how  shall  I  attune  the  trembling  string, 
Or  sound  a  note  which  can  such  worth  decl're. 
Exalted  theme!  too  high  for  common  lays! 
CJould  my  weak  verse  with  beauty  be  inspired 
In  numbers  smooth  I'd  chant  my  Betsy's  pra'se 
And  tell  her  how  much  her  Randolph  is  admired. 
To  light  the  hymenial  torch  since  they've  resolved 
Kind  Heaven  I  trust  will  make  them  truly  blest, 
And  when   the   Gordian  shall   be   dissolv'd, 
Translate  them  to  eternal  peace  and  rest." 


/>U^   i^^iAcA^^    •*^^x/«^ 


PEYTON     UA.NUULl'li  S     HOME. 


■■'  \  /'I'l/'     i^ 

1       ,   ,    O/i  I  /' 

TAZEWELL  HALL. 


/ 


^ 


V 


7 


^'^■^^   ^ 


Somuttfltt  of  Hirginta  85 

This  was  the  first  newspaper  in  Virginia  and  anaong  the 
earliest  in  the  colonies.  It  was  established  at  Williamsburg 
August  6th,  1736.  The  first  copies  were  one  sheet,  12  by 
6,  and  sold  for  15  s.  ($3,75)  per  year.  According  to  the  cus- 
tom of  that  early  day,  the  announcemjents  of  a  wedding  were 
nearly  always  accompanied  by  a  verse.  One  reads — "On 
Sunday  last,  Mr.  Beverly  Dixon  to  Miss  Polly  Saunders,  a 
very  agreeable  young  lady, — 

Hymen,  thy  brightest  torch  prepare 
Gild  with  light  the  nuptial  bower. 
With  garlands  crown  this  lovely  pair. 
On  them  thy  choicest  blessing  shower. 

Here  no  sordid  interest  binds, 
But  truest  innocence  and  love 
Combined  unite  their  spotless  minda 
And  seal  their  vows  above." 

Another  is  written — 

Her's  the  mixed  lustre  of  the  bloomin  mom, 
And  his  the  radiance  of  the  rising  day: 
LfOng  may  they  live,  and  mutually  possess, 
A  steady  love  and  genuine  happiness. 

The  Gazette  of  April  13th,  1768,  states,  "A  hog  was  brought 
to  town  this  week  from  Sussex  as  a  show,  raised  by  Mr. 
Henry  Tyler  there,  who,  though  only  four  years  old,  is  near 
3%  ft.  high,  about  9l^  ft.  long,  &  it  is  supposed  weighs 
near  1200  lbs.  He  much  exceeds  any  animal  of  the  kind 
ever  raised  on  this  continent,  and  indeed,  we  do  not  remem- 
ber to  have  heard  of  any  so  large  in  England." 


86  dnkimal  (Eapitala  of  tijp 

During  1862,  when  the  town  was  in  possession  of  the 
Federals,  the  Gazette  was  published  under  the  new  name, 
"Cavalier"  with  the  motto  "The  Union  forever  and  freedom 
for  all."  A  poem  published  at  that  time,  and  from  which 
we  quote  two  verses,  reads : — 

"The  shades  of  night  were  falling  fast 
As  through  a  Southern  village  passed, 
A  youth  who  bore  not  over  nice 
A  banner  with  the  gay  device 

'Skedaddle' 

His  hair  was  red,  his  toes  beneath 
Peeped  like  an  acorn  from  its  sheath, 
WTiile  with  a  frightened  voice  he  sung 
A  burden  strange  to  Yankee  tongue 

'Skedaddle,' " 

This  last  line  sounds  contradictory  to  the  story  told  on 
Gen.  Pope,  who  always  bragged  that  he  should  never  see  any- 
thing but  the  backs  of  his  enemies.  It  seemed  that  the  Con- 
federates gave  him  a  surprise  one  night  and  he  decided  to 
leave  his  papers  and  coat  behind.  The  latter  was  seized  by 
Gen.  J.  E.  B.  Staurt  and  sent  to  Eichmond  with  the  label 
attached,  "Taken  from  the  man  who  never  expected  to  see 
anything  but  the  backs  of  his  enemies." 


iiaBnmr  ®^mpb 


On  Francis  street  there  is  a  very  dilapidated  two-story 
frame  house  with  a  tiny  cupola.  It  has  the  distinction  of 
being  an  ancient  Masonic  temple.  The  first  grand  lodge  of 
Virginia  was  organized  within  its  walls. 


OLD    MASONIC    TEMPLE. 


KASTKKN     STATE     HOSPITAL  1768 


Somittion  of  Utrstma  87 

In  the  Masonic  rooms  used  at  the  present  day  there  is  an 
antique  and  richly  carved  mahogany  chair  presented  to  tha 
lodge  by  the  colonial  governor,  Lord  Botetourt.  It  was 
used  by  Washington  for  his  first  inauguration,  and  by  Presi- 
dent Arthur  at  the  presentation  of  the  monxmient  at  York- 
town. 

This  Institution  is  situated  on  Francis  street  and  sur- 
rounded by  a  beautiful  park  of  sixteen  acres. 

An  act  passed  by  the  House  of  Burgesses  in  November 
1769,  in  the  tenth  year  of  the  reign  of  George  III,  "To  make 
provision  for  the  support  and  maintenance  of  idiots,  luna- 
tics, and  other  persons  of  unsound  minds,"  inaugurated  one 
of  the  pioneer  charities  of  America,  and  the  oldest  institu- 
tion for  the  insane  on  the  western  continent. 

From  a  two-story  building  of  twenty-eight  rooms,  com- 
pleted in  1773,  it  has  been  so  changed  and  enlarged  that  to-day 
»  nine  comm,odious  buildings,  with  every  modern  improvement 
and  equipment,  have  been  substituted.     The  original  struc- 
ture was  burned  in  June  1885. 

A  m.ap  of  WUliamsburg  in  the  College  library,  dated  1780, 
designates  the  hospital  as  the  "Mad  House"  or  "Bedlam," 
showing  the  popular  theory  concerning  diseased  minds  at 
that  early  date.  A  letter  in  the  library  of  William  and  Mary 
College  written  in  1801  gives  an  idea  of  the  treatment  of 
the  insane  at  that  time.     It  reads  in  part — 

"Winchester,  July  31,  1801. 


88  (Eulnmal  (Eapttala  of  t\\t 

My  Good  Friend: — 

For  the  first  time  I  take  up  my  pen  with  reluctance — as 
I  have  nothing  to  communicate  that  will  afford  pleas\irc — 
well  knowing  the  anxiety  of  your  good  heart — I  will  allcmpt 
to  give  you  an  account  of  my  poor  Brother's  situate.  Alas 
Madam — when  I  last  wrote  my  beloved  friend —  little  did  I 
expect  to  find  him  perfectly  Insane — On  my  arrival  in 
Charlestown,  I  found  him,  Oh  heavens — in  chains — and  I 
am  sorry  to  add  his  situation  demanded  the  inhumane  aUer- 
native — when  I  rode  up  to  the  House — I  heard  the  clanking 
of  chains — knowing  it  to  be  my  Brother — you  my  Dr. 
Madam — can  better  delineate  my  feelings  than  1  can  describe 
them — He  appears  pleased  and  exults  in  his  chains — calls 
himself  French — and  says  he  is  one  of  the  happiest  men  on 
earth — which  I  believe  not  knowing  his  situation — 

He  is  in  one  of  Uncle  H 's  houses,  in  Charlestown 

very  private — with  a  good  attendant — his  Physicians  admit 
no  one  to  see  him  but  his  particular  friends — which  I  also 
think  highly  improper — even  his  nearest  connections  ought 
not  to  seen  liim  until  the  disease  takes  a  change — ^he  has  lost 
one  hundred  and  forty  ozs.  of  blood  within  this  ten  days — 
and  with  pleasure  I  can  inform  you,  it  has  had  some  happy 
effects — ^he  is  much  more  calm  than  usual — 

The  Physicians  agree  that  Love  is  the  sole  cause  of  his 
situation — his  whole  conversation  is  on  the  Ladies — and  he 

would  dwell  forever  on  tlic  name  of  Mrs, and  wishes 

me  to  purchase  her  from  Tom — He  has  been  in  Baltimore 
in  this  situation — and  I  am  told  nearly  killed  two  men — 
run  his  horse  thro  the  streets  under  the  whip — and  God  only 


AlAiaUA      U  ASUI.NUIO.N   S      KITC'UK.N. 


Sommtntt  cf  Hirgittia  89 

knows  what  he  has  been  guilty  off — My  good  Sister  P — 
never  leaves  him — my  Dr.  Parents — know  nothing  of  his  con- 
finement— nor  my  sister  McG — He  will  be  better,  his  disease 
is  like  all  others  within  the  power  of  the  Physicians — I 
have  wrote  to  Dr.  Eush  and  stated  his  disease — ^the  cause 
&c — I  visit  him  again  accompanied  by  Dr.  Conrad — Th 
(letter  is  torn  here)  will  be  as  short  as  the  Physicians  think 
their  presence  rather  injure  than  aleviate — I  have  not  been 
from  his  side  for  eight  days — and  I  cannot  help  indulging 
him — ^tho  know  it  to  be  improper — " 


Bxx  Qllfimtt^^  lUttt 


This  lot  is  included  in  the  eastern  portion  of  the  Hospital 
park.  On  it  there  stood  formerly  a  stately  mansion  occu- 
pied by  Washington  and  his  wife  for  a  short  while  during 
their  early  married  life.  Mrs.  Washington  was  distinguished 
among  the  belles,  who  graced  the  vice-regal  courts  of  the 
colonial  governors  Gooch  and  Dinwiddie,  for  her  beauty 
and  intellect.  Her  marriage  to  Washington  was  celebrated 
in  her  home  in  New  Kent  on  the  Pamunkey  river,  in  the 
adjoining  county  to  James  City. 

The  brick  kitchen,  also  the  elm  tree  said  to  be  planted  by 
Mrs.  Washington's  own  hands,  are  all  that  the  lovers  of 
romance  have  to  remind  them  of  the  honeymoon  spent  in 
Williamsburg. 


It  is  with  wonder  and  admiration  that  we  recall  the  wis- 
dom and  foresight  of  the  illustrious  men  of  the  Old  Domin- 
ion,   Perhaps  no  other  town  of  its  size  so  vividly  recalls  the 


90  (Eolnmal  (Eaptlala  nf  % 

splendid  courage  and  attainments  of  our  forefathers  as  this 
old  colonial  capital  of  Williamsburg. 

On  the  banks  of  the  James  river  about  six  miles  from 
Williamsburg,  there  is  a  large  plantation  known  as  Carter's 
Grove.  This  estate  was  originally  owned  by  Eobert  Carter, 
familiarly  known  as  "King  Carter,"  and  was  a  part  of  the 
parish  of  Martin's  Hundred  established  in  1618.  The 
beautiful  and  commodious  colonial  mansion  on  the  place  was 
built  in  1722-30  by  Carter  Burwell,  "King  Carter's"  grand^ 
son.  A  more  beautiful  location  for  the  dwelling  could  not 
be  found.  It  is  on  the  brow  of  a  hill  overlooking  James 
river.  The  view  extends  into  the  counties  of  Surry  and  Isle 
of  Wight  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  James  river,  while 
Hog  Island,  sometimes  called  "Homewood,"  and  a  point  of 
the  historic  Jamestown  island  are  easily  distinguishable  by 
the  naked  eye.  The  latter  island  is  only  six  miles  off  and 
is  readily  reached  by  sail  boat.  It  was  only  a  short  distance 
from  Carter's  Grove,  that  Lord  Delaware,  ascending  the  river 
to  Jamestown  on  May  the  10th,  1610,  met  the  starving 
settlers  as  they  were  embarking  for  England  with  Sir  Thomas 
Gates  and  Admiral  Somers.  Delaware  persuaded  them  to 
return  to  Jamestown  with  him,  thus  preventing  the  extinc- 
tion of  English  civilization  in  America. 

The  mansion  is  of  old  blue  and  red  glazed  brick,  and 
presents  a  noble  appearance.  It  is  approached  by  a  pic- 
turesque lane  bordered  with  ancient  cedars  and  locust  trees. 


lomutum  of  lltrgutta  91 

The  lawn  in  the  back  is  well  terraced  and  shaded  with  old 
trees. 

The  interior  of  the  house  is  distinguished  by  the  spacious- 
ness of  the  hall  and  rooms,  and  the  quaint  paneling  of  beau- 
tiful wood,  extending  up  to  the  ceiling.  On  the  banisters 
of  the  broad  staircase  several  sabre  cuts  are  noticeable.  They 
were  made  by  Colonel  Tarleton's  troopers  during  the  Eevo- 
lution,  and  it  is  said  that  his  raiders  actually  rode  their 
horses  up  the  steps.  They  were  so  impatient  for  a  taste  of  the 
pies  for  which  the  housewife  was  famous,  that  one  of  the 
officers  ripped  open  the  large  mahogany  sideboard  with  his 
sabre.  This  beautiful  old  mansion  was  formerly  the  home 
of  the  lovely  and  fascinating  Eebecca  Burwell.  While 
Thomas  Jefferson  and  Jacqueline  Ambler  were  students  at 
William  and  Mary  College,  they  both  became  very  much  en- 
amored over  this  charming  young  girl.  The  red-headed,  sandy- 
haired,  young  Thomas  Jefferson  was  celebrated  for  his  "fid- 
dling," and  perhaps  the  sentimental  thoughts  of  this  lovelorn 
3^outh  were  often  sung  to  the  lovely  Belinda.  Once  in  planning 
a  trip  to  Europe  he  decided  to  build  his  own  boat,  naming  it 
"Eebecca,"  and  on  his  voyage  to  sail  to  Italy  to  procure  a 
new  fiddle.  It  is  said  that  almost  the  only  verse  that  he  ever 
penned  was  addressed  to  this  young  girl,  and  in  a  letter  to 
his  bosom  friend,  John  Page,  he  wrote,  "If  Belinda  will  not 
accept  my  services  they  shall  never  be  offered  to  another." 

It  was  during  a  ball  at  the  Ealeigh  Tavern  in  Williams- 
burg that  Jefferson  offered  his  love  to  Eebecca  Burwell  for 
the  last  time.     In  another  letter  to  John  Page  he  says,  "In 


92  Qlolomal  (HapitalB  of  tlj^ 

the  most  melancholy  fit  that  ever  any  poor  soul  was,  I  sit 
down  to  write  to  you.  Last  night,  as  merry  as  agreeable 
company  and  dancing  with  Belinda  in  the  Apollo  could  make 
me,  I  never  could  have  thought  the  succeeding  sun  would 
have  seen  me  so  wretched  as  I  now  am !  I  was  prepared  to 
say  a  great  deal.  I  had  dressed  up  in  my  own  mind,  such 
thoughts  as  occurred  to  me  in  as  moving  language  as  I  knew 
how,  and  expected  to  have  performed  in  a  tolerably  creditable 
manner.  But,  good  God!  When  I  had  an  opportunity  of 
venting  them,  a  few  broken  sentences,  uttered  in  great  dis- 
order, and  interrupted  with  pauses  of  uncommon  length, 
were  the  two  visible  marks  of  my  strange  confusion !" 

Nevertheless  the  "pen  of  Virginia,"  and  the  future  author 
of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  was  rejected  for  his 
more  fortunate  rival,  Jacqueline  Ambler,  the  "Aristotle  of 
Virginia." 

This  historic  house  and  estate  is  now  the  home  of  Dr.  E. 
Gr.  Booth,  who  is  celebrated  for  his  Virginia  hospitality,  and 
when  the  old  sideboard  is  subjected  to  a  modem  raid,  pies 
as  delicious  as  those  of  old   are  brought  to  view. 

3mt  MnQvnhtv 

On  the  historic  road  to  Yorktown  there  can  be  noticed  a 
line  of  entrenchments  through  which  the  road  cuts  about  a 
mile  and  a  half  from  Williamsburg.  The  locality  is  known 
as  Fort  Magruder,  in  honor  of  the  gallant  general  who  com- 
manded the  confederates  in  the  battle  of  Williamsburg 
fought  along  this  road  on  May  the  5th,  1862.     The  Union 


inmution  of  Hirgmta  93 

forces  were  commanded  by  General  McClellan.  The  battle 
though  short,  was  exceedingly  bloody  and  was  one  of  the  most 
important  fought  during  the  Civil  War,  as  the  fate  of  Eich- 
mond,  the  Confederate  capital,  depended  on  the  result. 

A  marble  tablet  on  the  walls  of  Bruton  Church  in  Wil- 
liamsburg bears  the  simple  inscription: — 

"In  memory  of 

the 

Confederate 

Soldiers 

who    fell   in   the 

Battle  of  Williamsburg 

May   the    5th,    1862 

and  of  those  who  died  of 

the  wounds  received  in 

the  same. 

They  died  for  us." 

A  granite  monument,  and  a  number  of  small  stone  slabs 
in  the  graveyard  surrounding  the  church,  mark  the  graves 
of  those  who  wore  the  gray. 


About  half  way  between  Williamsburg  and  Yorktown  a 
little  stream  known  as  Black  Swamp  has  to  be  crossed. 
Tradition  says  that  in  colonial  days  a  bridal  party  in  a 
coach  of  four  were  crossing  the  stream  when  the  horses  got 
caught  in  the  quicksand.  None  of  the  party  was  seen 
again,  and  it  is  claimed  the  place  has  been  haunted  ever 


since. 


I  I 


"3t  IB  Bvant  to  Uttg^r  tjwf ,  among 
tl|p  ^.tttmng  biriiH 

Ani  Ifupxn^   aqutrrrla,  umnlii^rittQ 
brooha,  anb  ititnba 

tt^Iiat  Btiak^  tt|r  UaurB.  anb  arattfr, 
aa  tl|j^g  ttaaa. 

A  fragranrf  from  t^t  tfhwcB,  tijtrkly 
aft 

Witt|  )taU  blu^  b^rrtpa.    Sn  tlfrar 
jifar^ful  atialk^a — 

l^tnttfttU   unprunrJi,  immpaaurablg 
olJj— 

Mvi  tiinugl^a  go  up  ti|p  long  J>tm 
patlj  of  gpara, 

IBark  to  tl|f  ^arlirat  iaga  of  Itbrrtg" 


^  ^  f  0rkt0hitt  ^  ^ 


*  ^  * 


N  1634  the  colony  of  Virginia  was  divided 
into  eight  counties,  and  Charles  Eiver  county 
was  created.  This  county  included  a  num- 
ber of  plantations  on  York  river,  among 
them  Ultimaria  and  Bellfield.  The  name  of 
this  county  was  afterwards  changed  to  York. 
Court  was  first  held  at  the  different  large 
plantations;  later  at  a  place  called  York, 
established  by  the  colonial  governor,  Sir  John 
Harvey.  About  1676  it  convened  at  the 
"Half-way  House,"  on  the  road  between 
Williamsburg  and  Yorktown. 

In  1619,  fifty  acres  of  an  estate  on  York  river  were 
bought  from  Benjamin  Eeade,  and  "Yorke  Towne"  was  laid 
out.  Here  court  sat  in  1698,  though  the  town  was  not  es- 
tablished by  law  until  1705.  The  original  seal  is  still 
preserved. 

The  situation  of  the  village  is  on  the  brow  of  a  hill  over- 
looking a  fine  harbor.  The  view  extends  into  Chesapeake 
bay,  and  for  a  number  of  miles  across  the  neighboring  county 
of  Gloucester.  This  dilapidated  village  of  scarcely  more  than 
one  hundred  and  fifty  inliabitants,  including  about  twelve 
white  families,  formerly  enjoyed  an  extensive  trade  with  the 
West  Indies,  and  other  islands  and  countries. 


98  aiolomal  CUa^JitaLs  of  % 

A  very  old  Custom  House  built  in  1715,  the  first  and 
olda^t  in  the  "United  States,  is  still  pointed  out  to  visitors 
to  the  historic  town. 

Ollfurrlj 

On  the  high  bank  of  the  river  is  a  tiny  stone-marle  Epis- 
copal church.  The  first  church  was  built  in  1697.  Governor 
Francis  Nicholson,  who  laid  out  the  town  of  Williamsburg, 
gave  20  £  towards  its  construction.  This  church  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire  in  1814,  but  has  since  been  rebuilt.  Its  old 
bell,  bearing  the  inscription,  "County  of  York,  Virginia, 
1735,"  still  calls  the  worshipers  together,  as  of  old. 

To  one  side  of  this  sacred  edifice  is  the  burial  ground  of 
the  Nelsons,  a  family  very  intimately  associated  with  the 
history  of  the  town. 

Bixtnn  Sawrn 

One  of  the  first  buildings  to  greet  the  eye,  as  the  visitor 
passes  down  Main  street,  is  the  celebrated  old  Swan 
Tavern,  The  original  inn  was  built  in  1722  and  burned 
during  the  Civil  "War.  It  was  said  to  be  the  oldest  tavern 
in  Virginia  at  that  time.  Only  the  name  and  foundation 
remain  to  link  it  to  the  present  building.  An  original  paper 
of  rules  and  regulations  is  in  the  possession  of  the  present 
proprietor.  After  a  careful  notice  of  the  rates,  it  ends  with 
the  following  request : — "As  the  house  is  not  intended  to 


be  a  place  of  lazy,  \mprofitable  resort,  mere  loungers  are 
requested  to  keep  away;  and  all  who  come  only  to  idle  their 
time  at  the  fire  in  the  winter,  or  to  gulp  down  ice  water  in 
the  summer,  will  be  charged  daily  twenty-five  cents  each. 
Kude,  noisy  or  intoxicated  persons  will  not  be  tolerated  on 
any  terms. 

1752  Eobert  Anderson." 

The  old  Nelson  House,  the  most  prepossessing  in  the 
village,  brings  to  mind  one  of  the  most  courteous,  high- 
minded,  and  patriotic  men  of  the  Eevolutionory  period. 

The  house  was  built  in  1740-41  by  President  William  Nel- 
son, son  of  the  founder  of  the  Nelson  family  in  Virginia, 
Thomas  Nelson  I,  often  known  as  "Scotch  Tom,  the  emi- 
grant." It  is  said  that  the  comer  stone  was  laid  by  General 
Thomas  Nelson  of  Revolutionary  fame.  He  was  a  toddling 
baby  at  that  time,  but  the  brick  was  passed  through  his  tiny 
hand. 

The  house  is  a  large  two-story  brick  building  with  stone 
trimmings,  fronting  the  river.  Surrounded  with  an  old- 
fashioned  garden,  bordered  with  boxwood,  it  presents  a  very 
picturesque  effect.  The  halls  and  rooms  are  very  spacious  and 
beautiful.  When  General  Lafayette  visited  Yorktown  the  house 
was  turned  over  to  the  committee  for  his  entertainment. 
During  the  Civil  War  when  Yorktown  was  occupied  by  the 
Confederates  under  General  Magruder,  the  house  was  used 


100  ai0lmtial  (Eapttalfi  nf  tl|? 

by  them  for  a  hospital  and,  for  sanitary  reasons,  the  beauti- 
ful wainscoting  of  the  interior  was  wliitewashed.  Inserted 
in  the  wainscoting  of  the  dining  room  is  a  secret  panel,  and 
two  secret  rooms  are  connected  with  the  garret. 

It  was  directly  in  line  with  the  range  of  the  American 
guns  during  the  siege,  and  was  used  as  headquarters  by  Corn- 
wallis.  Three  cannon  balls  have  left  impressions  on  the  east 
gable.  One  is  embedded  in  the  brick.  Another  left  a  large 
open  hole  where  it  went  crashing  through  the  southeast 
comer,  entered  the  dining  room,  tore  off  two  panels  of  wain- 
scoting, and  shattered  the  marble  mantel. 

General  NelsoA  owned  another  mansion  on  the  outskirts 
of  the  town,  in  the  direction  of  Temple  Farm.  When  hostilities 
began,  it  was  soon  discovered  that  the  house  contained  a  nest 
of  British  soldiers.  The  General  commanded  the  Virginia 
Militia  of  3,200,  and  they  naturally  evinced  a  great  reluct- 
ance to  fire  into  the  home  of  their  commander,  whereupon 
with  great  disinterestedness  he  offered  a  reward  of  five 
guineas  to  the  man  who  should  fire  the  first  shot.  A  ball 
went  crashing  through  the  roof  and  very  shortly  the  house 
was  in  ruins.     Hardly  a  trace  of  it  remains. 

This  most  patriotic  of  Virginia's  sons  gave  liberally  to 
the  cause  of  freedom.  His  own  army  was  fed  entirely  dur- 
ing the  siege  at  Yorktown  by  the  use  of  his  own  credit. 
When  two  Virginia  regiments  were  ordered  to  the  Carolinas, 
before  the  soldiers  started,  he  gave  them  all  of  their  back  pay 
due,  out  of  his  own  private  fortune;  and  again,  when  the 
security  of  the  old  Commonwealth  was  not  sufficient  to  bor- 
row two  million  dollars  with    which    to  carry  on  the  war, 


S0mmt0tt  of  Utrgmm  101 

Nelson  added  his  personal  security  to  that  of  the  State,  and 
in  this  way  a  large  proportion  of  the  sum  was  raised.  He 
was  one  of  the  signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence, 
a  member  of  the  House  of  Burgesses,  and  Governor  of  Vir- 
ginia, succeeding  Jefferson. 

A  few  remaining  houses,  bearing  a  liberal  allowance  of 
bullet  holes,  help  us  to  realize  that  this  dilapidated  village 
witnessed  the  breaking  of  the  last  link  in  the  chain  that 
bound  America  to  the  mother  country  England,  and  the 
events  which  were  here  enacted  hastened  the  day  when  a 
chord  of  love  was  substituted,  for  the  betterment  of  both 
countries. 

1EntrrarI|m^ttts 

The  entrenchments  made  by  the  British  are  still  compara- 
tively perfect,  and  judging  from  their  height  and  solidity 
they  bid  fair  to  remain  for  many  m'ore  generations.  These 
redoubts  in  some  places  are  very  thickly  overgrown  with 
broom  straw.  The  seed  to  this  plant  was  said  to  be  brought 
over  from  England  in  the  hay,  and  the  fields  around  York- 
town  are  very  thick  with  its  graceful  stalks. 

Notwithstanding  Earl  Comwallis'  strategy  and  boast  that 
the  foolish  boy,  Lafayette,  could  not  escape  him,  the  young 
Frenchman  had  succeeded  in  getting  the  English  general 
well  hemmed  up  in  the  little  town  by  the  27th  of  September, 
1781.  A  heavy  cannonade  from  the  British  ushered  in  the 
siege.  The  American  army  was  encamped  only  a  mile  from. 
Cornwallis'  lines.  The  French  were  about  the  same  distance 
and  to  the  left  of  the  Americans. 


102  (Holomal  CHapitals  of  % 

On  the  29th,  several  redoubts  of  the  British  on  the  western 
outskirts  of  the  town  were  evacuated  and  occupied  the  next 
day  by  the  investing  forces.  Intermittent  firing  continued 
until  the  completion  of  the  American  redoubts  on  the  9th 
of  October.  From  then  until  through  the  16th,  a  terrific 
cannonade  by  both  armies  with  over  three  hundred  pieces  of 
artillery  was  kept  up  almost  incessantly.  Dr.  Thatcher,  a 
surgeon  of  Washington's  army,  has  left  an  interesting  account 
of  the  siege.  He  said  that  during  these  six  days  the  car- 
casses of  six  or  seven  hundred  horses  could  be  seen  floating 
down  the  river  every  day,  showing  to  what  straits  for  food 
the  British  were  put.  A  realistic  picture  of  a  bursting  shell 
is  given  in  the  following  extract — "When  a  shell  falls,  it 
whirls  around,  burrows,  and  excavates  the  earth  to  a  con- 
siderable extent,  and,  bursting,  makes  dreadful  havoc  around." 

Many  anecdotes  are  told  of  the  solicitude  of  General 
Washington'^  friends  for  his  safety  during  this  time.  Once 
when  a  shell  exploded  very  near,  one  of  his  aids  stepped  up 
and  said,  "Sir,  you  are  too  much  exposed  here,  had  you  not 
better  step  a  little  back?"  Washington  replied  very  quickly, 
"Colonel  Cobb,  if  you  are  afraid,  you  have  liberty  to  step 
back." 

Another  time  a  ball  rolled  almost  at  his  feet  and  General 
Knox  remonstrated,  "Miy  dear  General,  we  can't  spare  you 
yet."  "It  is  a  spent  ball  and  no  harm  is  done,"  answered 
Washington  without  moving. 

One  of  the  chaplains  of  the  American  army  was  a  clergy- 
man by  the  name  of  Evans.    One  day  he  was  standing  with 


iomtttuin  of  Hir^mta  103 

the  General  and  his  stafE  in  a  very  exposed  position,  when  a 
ball  struck  the  ground  near  and  scattered  some  of  the  earth 
upon  the  clergyman's  hat.  It  alarmed  him  greatly,  and  he 
evidently  showed  his  terror  in  his  countenance  as  he  turned 
to  Washington  with  his  hat  off,  saying,  "See  this,  G-eneral!'' 
"You  had  better  show  your  hat  to  your  wife  and  children," 
replied  the  great  commander.  Col.  Alexander  Hamilton 
commanded  a  small  battery  and,  before  storming  a  very 
difficult  redoubt,  made  a  thrilling  speech  to  the  men  under 
him.  A  group  of  officers  standing  near  heard  every  word. 
One  of  them  turned  to  another  and  said,  "Did  you  ever  hear 

such  a  speech?"    "With  such  a  speech  I  could  storm '' 

came  the  reply. 

On  the  night  of  October  16th,  Cornwallis,  realizing  that 
nothing  but  escape  could  save  him,  attempted  to  cross  the 
river  to  Gloucester  Point,  expecting  to  demolish  the  small 
French  force  encamped  there  to  watch  Col.  Tarleton's  troops, 
and  to  move  off  in  full  retreat  until  a  junction  could  be 
formed  with  Sir  Henry  Clinton  in  New  York.  A  portion  of 
his  army  had  crossed,  and  another  detachment  was  on  its 
way  over  when  a  terrible  storm  of  wind  and  rain,  springing 
up  suddenly,  nearly  annihilated  the  whole  company,  obliging 
them  to  give  up  the  attempt. 

On  the  17th  the  British  sent  a  flag  of  truce  which  resulted 
in  the  surrender  on  the  19th. 

A  high  stone  monument,  beautifully  sculptured,  stands  in 
an  open  field  near  the  river,  and  bears  a  faithful  record  of 
the  events  enacted  around  this  historic  town,  the  result  of 


104  OInlxmial  QIapttala  of  t\^ 

■which  is  expressed  in  the  sculptured  words,  "One  destiny, 
one  country,  one  constitution."  The  act  to  erect  the  monu- 
ment was  adopted  by  Congress  October,  29th,  1781,  and  ap- 
proved June  7th,  1880. 

On  the  south  side  of  this  obelisk  is  engraved, 

"At  York  on  October  19.  1781,  after  a  siege  of  19  days 
by  5500  American  and  7000  French  troops  of  the  line,  3500  Virginia 

Militia. 
Under  command  of  General  Thomas  Nelson,  and  36  French  ships  of 

war 
Earl  Comwallis,  commander  of  the  British  Forces  at  York 
and  Gloucester  surrendered  his  army  7251  officers  and  men 
840  seamen,  244  cannon  and  24  standards. 
To  His  Excellency  GJeorge  Washington 
commander-in-chief  of  the  combined  forces  of  America  and  France. 

To  His  Excellency  the  Comte  de  Eochambeau 
commanding  the  auxiliary  troops  of  his  most  christian  majesty  in 

America. 
And  to  His  Excellency  the  Comte  de  Grasse 
commanding  in  chief  the  naval  reserves  of  France  in  Chesapeake." 

On  the  north  side  of  the  monument  it  is  explained  that — 

"7he  provisional  articles  of  peace  concluded  November  30,  1782. 
And  the  definite  treaty  of  Peace  concluded  September  3,  1783 

Between  the  United  States  of  America 
And  George  III  King  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland 

Declare 
His  Britannic  Majesty  acknowledges  the  said  United  States  Vis. — 
New  Hampshire,  Massachusettes  Bay,  Rhode  Island  and  Providence 
Plantations,  Connecticut,  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania, 
Delaware,  ISIarj^land,  Virginia,  North  Carolina,  South  Carolina 
and  Georgia,  to  be  free  soverign  and  independent  states." 

In  the  field  which  joins  the  town  on  the  south  the  surren- 
der took  place.  Dr.  Thatcher,  the  surgeon  who  witnessed  it, 
has  said  in  his  account,  "The  French  troops,  in  complete 
uniform,  displayed  a  martial  and  a  noble  appearance;  their 
band  of  music,  of  which  the  timbrel  formed  a  part,  is  a  de- 
lightful   novelty,    and    produced,    while    marching  to  the 


iommion  of  lirgutta  105 

ground,  a  most  enchanting  effect."  According  to  tradition 
the  march  rendered  was,  "The  world's  turned  upside  down." 
"The  Americans,  though  not  all  in  uniform,  nor  their  dress 
so  neat,  yet  exhibited  an  erect,  soldierly  air,  and  every  counte- 
nance beamed  with  satisfaction  and  joy.  The  concourse  of 
spectators  from  the  country  was  prodigious,  in  point  of 
numbers,  probably  equal  to  the  military;  but  universal 
silence  and  order  prevailed.  It  was  about  two  o^clock  when 
the  captive  army  advanced  through  the  line  formed  for  their 
reception.  Every  eye  was  prepared  to  gaze  on  Lord  Corn- 
wallis,  the  object  of  peculiar  interest  and  solicitude;  but  he 
dissappointed  our  anxious  expectations;  pretending  indis- 
position, he  made  Gen.  O'Hara  his  substitute  as  the  leader 
of  his  army.  This  officer  was  followed  by  the  conquered 
troops  in  a  slow  and  solemn  step,  with  shouldered  arms, 
colors  cased,  and  drums  beating  a  British  march.  Having 
arrived  at  the  head  of  the  line.  Gen.  O'Hara,  elegantly 
mounted,  advanced  to  his  Excellency,  the  commander-in- 
chief,  taking  off  his  hat,  and  apologized  for  the  non-appear- 
ance of  Earl  Cornwallis." 

The  British  threw  down  their  arms  very  angrily  until 
stopped  by  Gen.  Lincoln. 

After  the  formalities  of  the  surrender  were  over.  Col.  Tarl- 
eton,  riding  a  splendid  animal,  and  in  company  with  a  num- 
ber of  French  officers,  with  whom  he  was  to  dine,  was  halted 
by  one  of  the  citizens  of  the  town  and  the  horse  he  was  rid- 
ing demanded  by  its  owner.  The  colonel  was  advised  by  one 
of  the  officers  that  it  would  be  best  to  dismount,  so  he  com- 
plied with  the  request  of  the  animal's  owner,  and  greatly  to 


106  (EoUimal  (Eapttala  nf  % 

his  own  chagrin,  mounted  a  very  ordinary  beast  and  re- 
joined his  companions,  who  promptly  laughed  over  liis  dis- 
comfiture. 


In  recalling  the  events  centered  around  this  historic  vil- 
lage, in  fancy  we  might  rise  with  Benjamin  Franklin  and 
drink  to  his  celebrated  toast — "Here's  to  George  Washington, 
the  Joshua  of  America,  who  commanded  the  sun  and  moon 
to  stand  still,  and  they  stood  still." 


S^mpb  Jarm 


This  farm  is  three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  Yorktown.  It 
is  chiefly  noted  because  the  terms  of  the  surrender  were 
drawn  up  and  signed  in  the  parlor  of  the  house  on  the  place. 
The  building  is  a  low,  rambling,  frame  structure  of  quaint 
design  and  is  frequently  called  the  "Moore  House,"  after  its 
owners  at  that  time.  It  is  situated  on  a  high  bluff  of  the 
river  and  has  a  beautiful  lawn  of  some  300  yards,  sloping 
down  to  the  water. 

Though  outside  of  the  strong  redoubts,  a  line  of  en- 
trencliments  runs  through  a  part  of  the  farm. 

The  house  was  built  in  1713,  and  it  is  claimed  that  it  was 
the  summer  home  of  the  colonial  governor,  Alexander  Spots- 
wood.  Dr.  W.  Shield,  who  owned  the  place  in  1834,  in  a 
letter  to  Bishop  Meade,*  said  that  in  one  of  the  old  bury- 

*Bishop  Meade's  "Old  Chiu'ches  and  Families  of  Virginia."     Vol  I, 
p.  227. 


MOORE    HOUSE    OX    TEMPLE    FARM. 


iflmuttott  of  Hirgtttta  107 

ing  grounds,  known  as  the  Temple,  he  found  several  frag- 
ments of  stone  which,  placed  together,  spelled  the  governor's 
name.  It  is  a  well  known  fact  that  Spotswood  died  at  Anna- 
polis just  as  he  was  undertaking  a  long  journey.  Consider- 
ing the  wildness  of  the  country  and  the  danger  attached  to 
traveling  at  that  time,  it  is  more  reasonable  to  suppose  that 
the  remains  were  brought  back  by  boat  and  interred  at  Temple 
Farm,  instead  of  undertaking  a  long  journey  by  land  to  the 
governor's  other  home  at  Germanna  on  the  Kapidan  river. 

This  so-called  Temple  is  in  one  of  the  fields,  about  one- 
fourth  of  a  mile  from  the  house,  and  on  the  margin  of  the 
forest. 

It  is  entirely  in  ruins,  but  the  traces  remaining  indicate 
a  round  edifice,  surrounded  a  few  yards  distant  by  a  wall. 
It  is  probable  that  it  was  a  place  of  worship,  a  burial  ground, 
and  a  defence  against  Indian  attack,  all  in  one.  The  only 
legible  tombstone  remaining  is  a  flat  slab  with  the  insignia 
of  heraldry  and  the  following  inscription: 

Major  William  Gooch, 

Dyed  October  29th,  1655. 

Within  this  tomb  there  doth  interred  lie, 

No  shape,  but  substance,  true  nobility: 

Itself  though  young  in  years,  but  twenty-nine, 

Yet  graced  with  nature's  Morall  and  divine. 

The  church  from  him  did  good  participate, 

In  coimsil  rare,  fit  to  adorn  a  state. 

All  around  this  bit  of  mysterious  ground  are  traces  of  an 
ancient  settlement.  There  is  another  old  graveyard  in  a  field 
near  the  house. 


108  aiobmal  (EapitalH  nf  tlje 

In  the  neighborhood  of  Yorktown  there  were  formerly 
several  Indian  settlements,  prominent  among  which  were 
Chisldack  and  Werowocomoco.  The  precise  location  of 
Werowocomoco  has  been  the  subject  of  much  discussion  by 
historians.  It  was  first  fixed  at  "Shelly,"  a  country  home  on 
the  Gloucester  side  of  York  river.  The  latest  and  most  in- 
disputable theory  is  that  it  was  on  Portan  bay,  on  the  north 
side  of  York  river,  several  miles  beyond  Shelly.  Smith 
speaks  of  his  adventures  and  visits  to  the  Indian  chief  Pow- 
hatan quite  frequently,  but  is  never  very  accurate  in  respect  to 
distance.  "At  Werowocomoco,"  he  says,  "on  the  north  side 
of  the  river  Pamunkee  (York)  was  his  (Powhatan's)  resi- 
dence, when  I  was  delivered  him  prisoner,  some  14  myles 
from  James  Towne,  for  the  most  part,  he  was  resident."* 

The  place  is  chiefly  noted  on  account  of  the  romantic 
rescue  of  Capt.  John  Smith  by  Powhatan's  daughter  Matoa, 
or  Pocahontas.  Smith  tells  the  incident  very  briefly  in  his 
"Grenerall  Historie."  He  says  "A  long  consultation  was  held, 
the  conclusion  of  which  was"  that  "two  great  stones  were 
brought  before  Powhatan,  as  many  as  could,  laid  hands  on 
him,  dragged  him  to  them,  and  thereon  laid  his  head;  and 
being  ready  with  their  clubs  to  beat  out  his  brains,  Poca- 
hontas, the  King's  dearest  daughter,  when  no  entreaty  could 
prevail,  got  his  head  in  her  arms,  laid  her  own  upon  his  to 
save  him  from  death;   whereat  the  Emperor  was  content  he 

♦Book   II,   page   142,   gmith's   "Generall  Historie." 


Somutuin  of  Hir^mta  109 

should  live  to  make  him  hatchets  and  her  bells,  beads,  and 
copper;  for  they  thought  him  as  well  of  all  occupations  as 
themselves/' 

Numerous  incidents  are  told  of  the  bravery  of  this  Indian 
girl,  and  many  times  she  braved  the  wrath  of  the  Indian 
king  in  order  to  warn  the  white  men,  who  came  for  corn 
and  food,  of  treachery  on  the  part  of  her  father. 

A  great  many  anecdotes  are  told  of  the  Indian  chieftain, 
Powhatan.  Once  when  he  was  asked  to  come  to  Jamestown 
to  receive  some  presents  recently  received  from  England,  he 
sent  this  reply,  "This  is  my  country  and  I  am  as  great  a 
king  as  your  own.  If  you  wish  to  see  me  come  to  my  home." 
So  here  to  Werowocomoco  camie  Newport  and  Smith,  bring- 
ing the  presents,  a  crown,  scarlet  robe,  bed,  basin,  and  pitcher. 
The  old  chieftain  objected  very  much  to  bending  his  head 
to  receive  the  crown,  but  was  quite  delighted  with  the  other 
gifts.  After  arraying  himself  in  the  new  robe,  he  gathered 
up  his  old  clothes,  and  handing  the  bundle  to  Newport  direc- 
ted that  it  be  sent  to  the  king  of  England  with  his  compli- 
ments. 

The  Indians  knew  very  little  about  figures  and  could  sel- 
dom count  without  the  aid  of  their  fingers  or  some  small  ob- 
jects. It  is  told  that  Powhatan  once  sent  one  of  his  war- 
riors over  to  England  to  bring  him  back  the  exact  number 
of  white  people  in  that  land. 


At  Jamestown    we  find    the  birthplace    of  the  American 
Nation,  at  Williamsburg  was  sounded  the  prelude  of  liberty 


110  (Eolonial  daptJala  of  H^t  Somtntnn  of  Btrgmm 


by  the  sweet  voice  of  Patrick  Henry,  and  at  Yorktown  the 
last  chord  of  the  Grand  Finale  was  struck  with  such  force  by 
Washington  and  Lafayette,  that  it  will  never  cease  to  echo 
liberty. 


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